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http://www.archive.org/details/elocutionsimplifOOfoberich 


A  Companion  to  Bakews  Reaving  Club, 


ELOCUTION  SIMPLIFIED; 


AN  APPENDIX  ON  LISPING,  STAMMEEINa,  STUTTEEIN6, 

AND  OTHER  DEFECTS  OF  SPEECH. 
BY 

WALTER  K.  FOBES, 

BOSTON  SCHOOL   OF  ELOCUTION,   BOSTON,   MASS. 


WITH    AN    INTRODUCTION 

BY 

GEORGE   M.  BAKER, 

AUTHOR  OP  THE  READING-CLUB  SERIES,  ETC. 


BOSTON  : 
LEE   AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORK: 
CHARLES  T.  DILLINGHAM. 


COPYRIGHT. 

1877. 

By  Walter  K.  Fobbs. 


THIS  LITTLE  BOOK 

IS  DEDICATED  TO 

Prof.  LEWIS   B.  MONROE, 

IN   TESTIMONY  OF  APPRECIATION  OF  HIS   MANY  QUALIFICATIONS   AS   A 
TEACHER  OF  THIS  ART,  AND  OF  THE    RESPECT   AND   AF- 
FECTION WITH  WHICH  HE  WILL  EVER  BE 
REGARDED  BY  HIS  FRIEND 
AND  PUPIL, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


^282i>8 


PEEFAOE. 


"  Why  write  this  book  ? ''  say  you. 
"  Because  it  is  needed,"  say  I. 

There  is  no  "digest"  of  elocution  that  is  both 
methodical  and  practical,  and  that  is  low  in  price,  now 
in  the  market. 

This  book  is  an  epitome  or  the  science  of  elocution, 
containing  nothing  that  is  not  necessary  for  you  to 
know,  if  you  wish  to  make  yourself  a  good  reader  or 
speaker. 

You  who  will  thoroughly  study  and  digest  this  book, 
and  then  put  in  practice  what  you  here  have  learned, 
will  have  started  on  the  road,  the  goal  of  which  is 
Oratory. 


OONTElJfTS. 


FAGE 

PREFACE 5 

INTRODUCTION 11 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT 15 

Method  op  Study  of  Elocutiok     •       •      •       •  15 


PART  L 

PHYSICAL  GYMNASTICS 17 

Attitude         ...••••••  17 

Standing  Position       •••••••  17 

Speakers  Position   •••••••  18 

Sitting  Position 18 

Changing  Position   •••••••  18 

Poise  of  Body 18 

Rising  on  Toes  .•••••••  19 

Holding  the  Book       ..••...  19 

Note  on  Attitude      ...••••  19 

Chest  Expansion     . 19 

Active  and  Passive  Chest      •       •       •       •       •  19 

Arms  at  Side 19 

Fore-arm  Vertical    ..•••••  20 

Full-arm  Percussion   •••••••  20 

Hand  Percussion      •••••••  20 

Body  Movements •       •       .  21 

Bend  Forward  and  Back 21 

Bend  Right  and  Left 21 

Turn  Right  and  Left        ••••••  21 

Neck  Movements     ..••••••  21 

Bend  Forward  and  Back        •       •       •       •       •  21 

Bend  Right  and  Left  ••••*••  21 

Turn  Right  and  Left 21 

Note  on  Physical  Gymnastics 21 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

PART  II. 

PAGE 

VOCAL  GYMNASTICS 22 

Breathing 22 

Abdominal 22 

Costal         ...        0 23 

Dorsal 23 

Puffing  Breath 23 

Puffing  Breath,  with  pause        .....  23 

Puffing  Breath,  breathe  between  ....  23 

Holding  the  Breath 24 

Tone 24 

Glottis  Stroke 24 

Soft  Tones 25 

Swelling  Tones 25 

Pitch 25 

Learn  Scale 26 

Chant  Sentences 26 

Read  Sentences 26 

Inflection 26 

Major  Falling 26 

Major  Rising 27 

Major  Rising  and  Falling 27 

Minor  Rising  and  Falling 27 

Circumflex ,        .        .        .  27 

Monotone 27 

Quality 28 

Whisper 28 

Aspirated 28 

Pure 28 

Orotund 28 

Force 29 

Gentle .  29 

Moderate »       •       •       .  29 

Loud 29 

Stress 29 

Radical 29 

Median       . 29 

Terminal 30 

Thorough 30 

Compound    • 30 

Tremolo 30 

Movement 30 

Quick 30 

Moderate 30 

Slow 31 

Articulation 31 

Elementary  Sounds 31 

Vowels          ......       o       .       .  31 

Consonants 32 

Summary  of  Physical  and  Vocal  Gymnastics        .  33 


CONTENTS.  9 

PART  III. 

ELOCUTION 36 

Pleasant  Quality 36 

Articulation 38 

Syllables 38 

Words 38 

Accent 38 

Phrases 39 

Emphasis «       •       «  39 

Sentences 39 

Fulness  and  Power 42 

Inflection 44 

Major  Rising 45 

Major  Falling 45 

Minor  Rising 46 

Minor  Falling 47 

Circumflex 47 

Monotone .  48 

Pitch 49 

High 49 

Middle 50 

Low 51 

Very  Low 52 

Quality 52 

Whisper 53 

Aspirate        ..••.....  53 

Pure  Tone 54 

Orotund 55 

Movement       ...•••••.  56 

Quick 56 

Moderate 57 

Slow 58 

Very  Slow 58 

Force 69 

Gentle 59 

Moderate 60 

Loud 61 

Very  Loud 61 

Stress 62 

Radical 63 

Median 63 

Terminal 64 

Thorough 65 

Compound    .••••••••  65 

Tremolo 66 

Transition  ...•••••••  66 

Modulation    . 70 

Style 77 

Conversational 78 

Narrative       .        »        •        .        •        •        o        •        •  79 

Descriptive 79 


10  CONTENTS. 


Style  (continued),  page 

Didactic 80 

Public  Address 81 

Declamatory        .       • 82 

Dramatic •       •       •       .  83 


PART  IV. 

HINTS  ON  ELOCUTION 85 

Defects  of  Speech ««;  93 


Ilj^-TEODUOTION. 


Rev.  Dr.  Hall  of  New  York  says,  "  There  is  one  accom< 
plishment  in  particular  which  I  would  earnestly  recom- 
mend to  you:  cultivate  assiduously  the  ability  to  read 
well.  I  stop  to  particularize  this,  because  it  is  a  thing  so 
very  much  neglected,  and  because  it  is  such  an  elegant  and 
charming  accomplishment.  Where  one  person  is  really  in- 
terested by  music,  twenty  are  pleased  by  good  reading. 
Where  one  person  is  capable  of  becoming  a  skilful  musician, 
twenty  may  become  good  readers.  Where  there  is  one  occa- 
sion suitable  for  the  exercise  of  musical  talent,  there  are 
twenty  for  that  of  good  reading. 

"What  a  fascination  there  is  in  really  good  reading  I 
What  a  power  it  gives  one !  In  the  hospital,  in  the  chamber 
of  the  invalid,  in  the  nursery,  in  the  domestic  and  in  the 
social  circle,  among  chosen  friends  and  companions,  how  it 
enables  you  to  minister  to  the  amusement,  the  comfort,  the 
pleasure,  of  dear  ones,  as  no  other  accomplishment  can !  No 
instrument  of  man's  devising  can  reach  the  heart  as  does 
that  most  wonderful  instrument,  the  human  voice.  It  is 
God's  special  gift  to  his  chosen  creatures.  Fold  it  not  away 
in  a  napkin. 

"  Did  you  ever  notice  what  life  and  power  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures have  when  well  read?  Have  you  ever  heard  of  the 
wonderful  effects  produced  by  Elizabeth  Fry  on  the  crimi- 
nals of  Newgate  by  simply  reading  to  them  the  parable  of 
the  Prodigal  Son?  Princes  and  peers  of  the  realm,  it  is 
said,  counted  it  a  privilege  to  stand  in  the  dismal  corridors, 
among  felons  and  murderers,  merely  to  share  with  them  the 
privilege  of  witnessing  the  marvellous  pathos  which  genius, 
taste,  and  culture  could  infuse  into  that  simple  story." 


1-2  IN^TRODUC'riON. 

Elocution  trains  the  voice  to  obey  the  mind,  and  to  rightly 
express  thought  .arid  feeling,  ^t  is  necessary  to  those  who 
read  or  speak  hi  public;  to  persons  with  defective  speech;  to 
those  with  nasal,  shrill,  throaty,  or  husky  voices ;  to  persons 
with  diseased  throat,  or  liability  to  it,  arising  from  wrong 
use  of  voice. 

The  practice  of  the  art  of  elocution  is  as  necessary  to  the 
reader  or  speaker  as  practice  of  the  art  of  singing  is  to  one 
who  intends  to  become  a  public  singer.  Any  one  attempt- 
ing to  sing  for  the  public  without  previous  practice  would 
be  justly  hissed  from  the  stage :  and  a  like  fate  overtakes 
most  speakers,  who,  without  previous  study  of  elocution, 
attempt  to  speak  in  public ;  that  is,  very  few  go  to  hear  them. 

CLERGYMEN 

should  learn  to  read  impressively  the  Bible,  Litany,  hymns, 
and  sermons :  for  as  Dr.  Holland  says,  "  When  a  minister 
goes  before  an  audience,  it  is  reasonable  to  ask  and  expect 
that  he  shall  be  accomplished  in  the  arts  of  expression ;  that 
he  shall  be  a  good  writer  and  speaker.  It  makes  little 
difference  that  he  knows  more  than  his  audience,  is  better 
than  his  audience,  has  the  true  matter  in  him,  if  the  art  by 
which  he  conveys  his  thought  is  shabby.  It  ought  not  to  be 
shabby,  because  it  is  not  necessary  that  it  should  be.  There 
are  plenty  of  men  who  can  develop  the  voice,  and  so  in- 
struct in  the  atts  of  oratory  that  no  man  need  go  into  the 
pulpit  unaccompanied  by  the  power  to  impress  upon  the 
people  all  of  wisdom  that  he  carries."  The  same  writer 
says  of 

STUDENTS. 

"  Multitudes  of  young  men  are  poured  out  upon  the 
country,  year  after  year,  to  get  their  living  by  public  speech, 
who  cannot  even  read  well.  The  art  of  public  speech  has 
been  shamefully  neglected  in  all  our  higher  training-schools. 
It  has  been  held  subordinate  to  every  thing  else,  when  it  is 
of  prime  importance.  I  believe  more  attention  is  now  paid 
to  the  matter  than  formerly.  The  colleges  are  training  their 
students  better,  and  there  is  no  danger  that  too  much  atten- 
tion will  be  devoted  to  it.  The  only  danger  is,  that  the 
great  majority  will  learn  too  late  that  the  art  of  oratory 
demands  as  much  study  as  any  other  of  the  higher  arts ;  and 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

that,  without  it,  they  must  flounder  along  through  life  prac- 
tically shorn  of  half  the  power  that  is  in  them,  and  shut  out 
from  a  large  success." 

TEACHERS 

should  learn  elocution  so  as  to  teach  in  a  pleasing,  effective 
manner;  and  also  to  teach  reading  in  schools,  so  that 
children  may  learn  to  read  in  an  easy,  agreeable  way,  and 
give  thought  to  what  they  read  ;  thus  leading  a  child  in  all 
studies  to  get  ideas  from  books,  and  not  merely  words  with- 
out meaning. 

PUBLIC   SPEAKERS 

should,  by  study  of  elocution,  learn  the  best  manner  of 
moving,  persuading,  and  instructing  their  audiences;  thus 
adding  to  their  own  popularity,  and  consequently  widening 
their  influence. 

LAWYERS, 

by  practice  of  elocution,  will  find  greater  ease  in  speaking 
to  witness  or  jury,  and  thus  be  greatly  aided  in  their  work. 


ACTORS   AND  PUBLIC   READERS 

lose  both  time  and  money  by  a  neglect  of  elocution,  the 
practice  of  which  is  essential  to  success  in  their  vocation. 


SINGERS, 

by  study  of  elocution,  can  best  obtain  that  perfect  articula- 
tion and  elegant  expression  so  necessary  ♦to  the  successful 
singer. 

ALL  PERSONS 

who  have  a  taste  for  reading  should  study  elocution,  as 
reading  aloud  in  the  social  or  home  circle  is  one  of  the 
most  instructive,  pleasing,  and  healthful  pastimes  in  which 
we  can  indulge. 

DEFECTIVE    SPEECH, 

as  lisping,  stammering,  stuttering,  &c.,  can  be  entirely  cured 
by  a  study  and  diligent  practice  of  elocution. 


14  INTRODUCTION, 


UNPLEASANT   VOICES, 

either  shrill,  nasal,  throaty,  husky,  or  with  any  other  dis- 
agreeable quality,  can  be  made  agreeable  by  practice  of 
elocution. 

To  meet  all  these  wants,  this  treatise  has  been  prepared. 
Embracing  as  it  does  a  thorough  exposition  of  the  princi- 
ples of  elocution  in  an  eminently  practical  form,  adapted  to 
the  requirements  of  the  student,  the  professional  man,  and 
the  amateur,  by  a  gentleman  who  has  had  the  best  of  in- 
struction (from  those  excellent  teachers  whose  names  are 
given  on  the  following  page),  himself  a  successful  teacher 
and  reader,  it  seems  to  present  the  whole  science  in  a  nut- 
shell, so  that  he  "  who  runs  may  read  "  in  reality,  if  he  but 
follow  the  instructions  of  this  Manual.  Here  elocution  is 
not  only  simplified,  but,  in  this  neat  and  cheap  form,  placed 
within  the  reach  of  all. 

GEORGE  M.   BAKEK. 


AOKIiTOWLEDGMENT. 


I  WOULD  here  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  Prof.  Lewis 
B.  Monroe,  Dean  of  Boston  University  School  of  Oratory, 
for  what  I  have  learned  of  expression  in  elocution :  to  Prof. 
A.  Graham  Bell  of  Boston  for  valuable  instruction  in  articu- 
lation and  inflection ;  to  Prof.  Edward  B.  Oliver  of  Men 
delssohn  Musical  Institute  of  Boston  for  his  most  excellent 
instruction  in  tone. 

The  method  of  study  of  this  book  is  the  result  of  the 
knowledge  gained  from  these  three  superior  instructors. 
The  plan  of  Part  Three  will  be  found  to  be  that  of  Monroe's 
Sixth  Reader. 

METHOD   OF   STUDY  OF   ELOCUTION. 

Part  First,  a  series  of  gymnastics  to  give  strength  and 
elasticity  to  the  muscles  used  in  speaking,  to  expand  the 
chest,  and  to  get  a  correct  position  of  body,  so  that  speaking 
may  be  without  eifort,  and  yet  powerful. 

Part  Second,  a  system  of  vocal  exercises  for  daily  prac- 
tice, to  train  the  voice,  and  get  command  of  tone,  quality, 
pitch,  inflection,  force,  stress,  articulation,  and  right  manner 
of  breathing. 

Part  Third,  the  application  of  the  vocal  exercises  to  the 
reading  of  short  extracts,  showing  the  effect  when  thus  ap- 
plied, and  showing  the  difference  between  the  seven  styles, 
—  conversational,  narrative,  descriptive,  didactic,  public  ad- 
dress, declamatory,  and  emotional  or  dramatic. 

There  will  be  found  references  to  select  pieces  in  Baker's 
''Reading  Club  and  Handy  Speaker,"  for  practice  in  the 
different  styles  of  reading. 

15 


16  ACKNOWLEDGMENT, 

Hoping  this  little  book  may  be  of  benefit  to  many,  it  is 
sent  forth  to  help  those  who  love  the  art,  but  with  no 
thought  of  recommending  this  book  for  self -instruction,  and 
substituting  it  for  the  instruction  to  be  gained  from  a  good 
teacher  of  the  art.  If  a  good  teacher  is  not  to  be  had,  use 
this  book. 

WALTER  K.  FOBESc 

Cambridge,  Mass.,  October,  1877. 


ELOCUTION   SIMPLIFIED. 


PAET  0]^E. 


PHYSICAL  GYMNASTICS. 

Goethe  says,  "  All  art  must  be  preceded  by  a  certain 
mechanical  expertness." 

You  find  it  so  in  the  art  of  playing  the  piano :  the  fingers 
must  be  made  nimble,  and  the  wrists  elastic,  before  any  thing 
else  can  be  well  done.  In  the  art  of  singing  you  have  to 
exercise  the  voice  in  many  ways  to  get  command  of  it.  So, 
in  the  art  of  elocution,  it  is  necessary  to  practise  the 
mechanics  of  physical  and  vocal  culture,  that  you  may  be 
prepared  to  express  properly  your  thought  and  feeling. 

You  need  first  a  healthy  body,  elastic  and  strong  in 
muscles,  and  especially  in  those  muscles  used  in  the  produc- 
tion of  voice.  For  this  latter  purpose  I  will  describe  as 
clearly  as  I  can  Monroe's  system  of  gymnastics,  and  for  the 
former  recommend  any  other  gymnastics  that  will  give 
health,  strength,  and  especially  elasticity. 

ATTITUDE. 

1.  Standing  Position.  —  Hamlet,  so  Shakspeare  tells 
us,  ends  a  letter  to  Ophelia  thus  :  — 

**  Whilst  this  machine  is  to  him,  Hamlet." 

Your  body  is  the  machine  by  means  of  whose  working  you 
express  your  mind  and  feelings.  If  you  were  to  run  a  steam- 
engine,  you  would  be  very  careful  to  place  the  machine  in 
such  a  position,  that  it  would  do  the  most  work  with  the 

IT 


18  ELOCUTION,  ^ 

least  wear  and  tear.  You  must  do  the  same  with  this 
machine,  your  body.  To  get  a  correct  standing  position, 
place  yourself  with  back  against  a  smooth  wall  in  the  room, 
with  shoulders  flat,  your  back  as  nearly  straight  as  you  can 
make  it,  and  every  part,  from  head  to  heel,  touching  the  wall. 
This  gives  you  an  upright  position,  but  feels  uncomfortable, 
because  the  weight  is  too  much  on  the  heels.  Sway  the 
whole  body  in  its  upright  position  forward,  so  that  the 
weight  will  come  mostly  on  the  balls  of  the  feet ;  and,  in 
doing  so,  do  not  bend  any  part  except  at  the  ankles.  You 
are  now  in  a  proper  position  for  speaking.  The  head  is 
erect,  shoulders  thrown  back,  chest  expanded,  back  nearly 
straight,  the  weight  of  the  body  is  about  equal  on  ball  and 
heel  of  the  feet,  and  your  poise  of  body  as  it  would  be 
naturally  in  the  act  of  taking  a  step  forward.  This  puts 
every  part  of  your  body  in  the  best  condition  for  easy  speak- 
ing. 

2.  Speaker's  Position.  —  This  position  should  be  as- 
sumed before  an  audience  w^hen  some  other  position  is  not 
required  for  dramatic  expression.  It  is  the  standing  position, 
with  the  weight  upon  one  foot,  and  the  other  advanced.  Let 
the  advance  foot  be  about  a  heel's  distance  from  the  middle 
of  the  foot  behind,  and  form  a  right  angle  with  it. 

3.  Sitting  Position.  —  When  you  read  in  a  sitting 
position,  the  body  should  be  as  in" speaker's  position,  and 
feet  also,  the  poise  of  body  being  forward. 

4.  Change  of  Position. — You  sometimes  wish  to  turn 
to  address  your  audience  at  one  side.  To  change  gracefully 
from  the  speaker's  position,  turn  the  foot  in  advance  on  the 
ball,  outward,  until  it  becomes  parallel  with  the  foot  behind; 
then  take  the  weight  on  it,  and  turn  the  other  foot  till  you 
have  correct  speaker's  position.  If,  as  you  stood  at  first, 
facing  the  audience,  your  weight  was  on  the  right  foot,  you 
will  find  yourself  facing  to  the  right;  if  the  weight  was 
on  left,  you  will  face  left.  When  facing  the  audience,  to 
change  the  weight  from  one  foot  to  the  other,  take  one  short 
step  either  forward  or  back. 

5.  Poise  of  Body.  —  To  get  steadiness  of  body,  to  keep 
a  correct  poise,  and  to  prevent  all  unseemly  swaying,  when 
standing  to  read  or  speak,  assume  standing  position,  and, 
keeping  feet  flat  on  the  floor,  sway  forward  until  the  weight 
conies  entirely  on  the  ball  of  the  feet.  Don't  bend  the  bod3\ 
Then  sway  back  to  standing  position.      Then  sway  back* 


^  ELOCUTION.  19 

ward,  keeping  feet  flat  on  the  floor  and  the  body  straight, 
until  the  weight  is  entirely  on  the  heels  ;  from  that  sway  for- 
ward to  position. 

6.  Rise  upon  the  Toes.  ^  For  the  same  purpose  as  the 
above.  Assume  standing  position,  and  rise  as  high  as  possi- 
ble on  the  toes  very  slowly;  then  sink  slowly  so  as  to  come 
back  to  standing  position.  Be  very  careful  not  to  sway 
backward  in  coming  down,  and  you  will  find  yourself  in  the 
exact  poise  of  standing  position.  Also  do  the  same  from 
speaker's  position,  rising  on  one  foot. 

7.  Holding  the  Book.  —  Hold  your  book  in  the  left 
hand,  on  one  side  of  the  body,  so  that  your  face  will  not  be 
hid  from  the  audience.  The  top  of  the  book  should  be 
about  even  with  the  shoulder.  Many,  in  reading,  hold  the 
book  in  front  of  them ;  but  that  is  not  so  pleasant  to  an 
audience,  and  leads  to  a  stooping  position,  a  contracted  chest, 
and  ill  health. 

Note.  —  All  the  foregoing  exercises  relate  to  position  of  body 
necessary  for  the  most  powerful,  and  at  the  same  time  the  easiest, 
action  of  the  vocal  organs;  also  to  the  attitudes  most  i)leai!iing 
to  ail  audience  when  they  look  upon  a  reader  or  speaker.  Prac- 
tise them  until  they  become  habits,  and  so  unconsciously  you  will 
assume  correct  position  when  you  stand. 

CHEST  EXPANSION. 

For  purposes  of  speech,  you  need  to  use  more  breath  than 
for  ordinary  breathing  or  conversation.     You  therefore  need  ^ 
to  make  as  much  room  as  possible  for  good  fresh  air  by 
exercise  to  expand  the  chest.      Elocution  is  beneficial  to 
health  for  this  reason. 

1.  Active  and  Passive  Chest.  —  Your  chest  in  its 
ordinary  position  is  what,  in  elocution,  is  called  passive  chest. 
The  active  chest  is  that  assumed  in  the  standing  position, 
where  the  chest  is  raised  up  slightly  and  expanded,  with  the 
shoulders  drawn  back.  Practise  as  an  exercise  the  active 
and  passive  chest,  alternating  from  one  to  the  other  without 
breathing,  or  moving  the  shoulders.  The  active  chest  must 
be  kept  in  all  the  physical  and  vocal  gymnastics,  and  at  all 
time  during  speech.  AVith  practice  it  will  soon  become 
established  as  a  habit:  and  j^our  every-day  attitude  will  be 
more  erect  as  a  consequence. 

2.  Arms  at  Side.  —  Place   youi*  arms  at  the  side,  with 


20  ELOCUTION.  ^ 

elbows  bent,  so  that  from  elbow  to  hand  the  arms  are  hori- 
zontal, and  parallel  with  each  other.  Draw  the  elbows  back, 
clinch  the  fist  with  palms  up,  and  make  chest  active,  keep- 
ing the  back  straight.  Take  a  full  breath,  and  hold  it  (see 
''  Breathing")  ;  then  carry  the  arms  at  full  length  in  front 
of  you,  your  hands  open  and  as  high  up  as  the  shoulders ; 
then  bring  them  back  to  the  position  you  started  from,  with 
hands  clinched,  palms  up,  and  pull  back  with  all  your 
strength,  raising  the  chest  slightly  more  ;  then  give  out  the 
breath.  After  some  practice  you  may  do  it  twice  upon  one 
breath,  being  sure  to  keep' the  arms  as  close  to  the  body  as 
you  can ;  for,  if  you  spread  your  arms,  you  will  strain  the 
muscles. 

3.  Fore-arm  Vertical.  —  Assume  standing  position,  and 
bend  the  arms,  placing  them  vertically,  and  parallel  with 
each  other,  at  the  side,  with  clinched  hands  as  high  as  the 
shoulder;  turn  the  fist  out  from  the  shoulder,  raise  the 
chest  as  much  as  you  can,  and,  taking  a  full  breath,  hold  it; 
bring  the  arms  forward  so  as  to  touch  the  elbows  together, 
if  you  can;  then  draw  them  back  to  first  position,  and  pull 
downward  and  backward  as  hard  as  you  can ;  then  give  out 
the  breath.  After  some  practice,  do  this  twice  on  one  breath, 
being  sure  to  keep  the  arms  and  hands  close  to  the  body. 

4.  Full-arm  Percussion.  —  In  ordinary  breathing,  it  is 
seldom  you  fill  your  lungs  to  their  fullest  capacity;  and 
some  of  the  air-cells  are  not  filled,  especially  those  at  the 
extreme  edges  of  the  lungs.  This  and  the  following  exer- 
cise are  for  the  purpose  of  sending  air  into  those  portions 
of  the  lungs  not  ordinarily  filled.  Assume  standing  posi- 
tion; take  a  full  breath,  and  hold  it;  then  strike  with  the 
right  hand  upon  the  top  of  the  left  chest  a  very  quick  and 
very  elastic  blow,  striking  with  fingers,  and  swinging  the 
arm  freely  from  its  position  at  the  side;  then  strike  with 
left  hand  on  right  chest  in  same  manner;  repeat  with  each 
hand,  and  then  give  out  the  breath.  Never  strike  with  the 
flat  palm  or  clinched  fist,  as  that  is  very  injurious  and  un- 
healthy. 

5.  Hand  Percussion.  —  Assume  standing  position,  and 
place  your  hands  on  your  chest,  with  elbows  as  high  as  the 
shoulders;  make  chest  active;  take  a  full  breath,  and  retain 
it  while  you  strike  alternately  eight  light  elastic  blows  with 
each  hand;  then  give  out  the  breath. 


ELOCUTION.  21 


BODY   MOVEMENTS. 

The  muscles  of  the  waist  are  the  front  or  abdominal,  the 
side  or  costal,  the  back  or  dorsal  muscles.  These  muscles' 
are  very  important  in  speech ;  and  upon  the  strength  and 
elasticity  of  these,  and  the  inner  muscles  acting  in  connec- 
tion with  them,  depend  the  force  and  strength  of  your 
voice.  Three  very  simple  movements  are  here  given,  which 
will  give  some  measure  of  strength  and  elasticity  to  these 
muscles. 

1.  Body  bend  Forward  and  Back.  —  From  standing 
position  bend  forward,  keeping  the  back  straight,  and  bend- 
ing only  at  the  hip-joints ;  touch  the  floor  with  your  hands, 
if  you  can  ;  then  assume  upright  position,  and  bend  back  as 
far  as  you  can. 

2.  Bend  Right  and  Left.  —  From  standing  position, 
bend  to  right  side  as  far  as  possible,  bending  only  at  the 
waist,  and  stretching  the  costal  muscles  ;  then  assume  up- 
right position,  and  bend  to  left  in  same  manner. 

3.  Turn  Right  and  Left.  —  From  standing  position 
turn  the  body  on  the  waist,  keeping  the  hips  still,  and 
twisting  the  waist-muscles,  first  to  the  right,  then  to  the  left. 

NECK  MOVEMENTS. 

The  neck  movements  are  necessary,  because  many  of  the 
disagreeable  qualities  of  the  voice  are  due  to  inelasticity  of 
the  muscles  of  the  neck.  The  movements  are  in  the  same 
directions  as  for  the  body. 

1.  Bend  forward  and  back. 

2.  Bend  right  and  left. 

3.  Turn  right  and  left. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  describe  them  at  length:  but,  in 
bending  right  and  left,  be  careful  to  keep  the  head  from 
bending  slightly  backward  or  forward  at  the  same  time  ;  and, 
in  the  turning  of  head,  keep  it  erect. 

Note.  — This  completes  the  physical  gymnastics.  Practise 
them  until  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  intended  has  been 
accomplished,  and  afterwards  occasionally,  to  keep  what  you 
have  gained.  Take  each  exercise  two  or  three  times  in  suc- 
cession. When  thoroughly  learned,  this  will  not  take  more  than 
five  minutes.    Prssctise  them  five  minutes  at  morning  and  night. 


22  ELOCUTION, 


PAET  TWO. 


VOCAL   GYMNASTICS. 

You  have  no  need  to  take  any  special  exercise  in  walk« 
ing  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  life ;  but,  if  you  wished  to 
be  a  "  walkist,"  you  would  need  special  practice  to  train  and 
develop  the  muscles  for  that  purpose.  You  may  be  a  good 
singer,  able  to  sing  for  your  own  amusement  or  that  of 
your  friends,  without  specially  training  the  singing-voice ; 
but,  if  you  wished  to  sing  in  public,  you  would,  if  you  were 
wise,  train  your  singing- voice  very  carefully.  As  in  these 
cases,  so  with  the  voice  in  speaking.  For  all  ordinary  pur- 
poses of  speech,  you  need  no  special  training  of  the  speaking- 
voice  ;  but  when,  as  teacher,  clergyman,  lawyer,  lecturer, 
actor,  public  reader,  or  in  any  other  capacity,  you  are  called 
upon  to  do  more  w4th  the  voice  than  others,  you  ought  to 
train  and  develop  your  vocal  powers.  For  this  purpose,  the 
following  series  of  exercises  are  given  for  practice. 

BREATHING. 

As  it  is  necessary  that  you  should  take  in  and  give  out 
more  breath  in  speaking  than  at  other  times,  you  ought  to 
be  able  to  do  this  in  a  natural  manner.  If  you  will  practise 
these  breathing-exercises  until  they  are  easy  for  you,  the 
breath  in  your  reading  or  speaking  will  take  care  of  itself. 
Practise  breathing  in  the  open  air,  and  take  in  and  give  out 
the  breath  through  the  nose  without  making  the  slightest 
sound  in  so  doing. 

1.  Abdominal  Breathing.  —  Take  standing  position 
and  active  chest;  place  the  fingers  on  the  abdominal 
muscles,  and  the  thumbs  on  the  costal  muscles;  take  a  full 
breath,  making  the  abdominal  muscles  start  first,  and  move 
V)utward ;  then  let  the  muscles  sink  in  as  the  breath  conies 


ELOCUTION.  23 

out.  Make  as  much  movement  of  these  muscles  as  you 
can,  both  in  and  out;  and  be  sure  you  keep  the  shoulders 
from  moving.  Pay  particular  attention  to  the  movement 
of  the  abdominal  muscles,  letting  all  the  rest  (except  the 
shoulders)  move  as  may  be  easy  to  you.  Practise  this  way 
of  breathing  until  you  can  do  it  easily;  and,  if  it  makes  you 
dizzy,  do  not  be  alarmed,  but  wait  till  the  dizziness  is  en- 
tirely gone  before  you  try  again. 

2.  Costal  Breathing. —  Assume  standing  position  with 
active  chest ;  place  the  fingers  on  the  costal  muscles,  and 
thumbs  at  the  back;  inhale  a  full  breath,  expanding  as 
much  as  possible  the  costal  muscles  and  ribs.  In  giving  out 
the  breath,  make  them  sink  in  as  much  as  possible.  Keep 
shoulders  still  in  breathing  in  and  out,  and  let  all  other 
muscles  be  free  to  move  as  they  may. 

3.  Dorsal  Breathing.  —  Assume  standing  position  with 
active  chest ;  place  the  fingers  at  the  back  on  dorsal  muscles, 
and  thumbs  on  the  side;  take  a  full  breath,  trying  to 
expand  the  muscles  under  your  fingers  as  much  as  you  can. 
.dightly  done,  the  abdominal  and  costal  muscles,  and  the 
ribs,  will  also  expand ;  the  chest,  if  not  already  active,  will 
rise  ;  the  shoulders  will  remain  quiet.  In  giving  out  the 
breath,  let  the  chest  be  the  last  to  sink.  This  is  the  way  of 
breathing  in  every  healthy  man,  woman,  and  child.  Any 
manner  of  dressing  the  body  that  hinders  free  and  easy 
action  of  the  abdominal,  costal,  and  dorsal  muscles,  and 
the  ribs,  leads  to  ill  health,  because  it  interferes  with  the 
vital  process  of  breathing ;  and  ill  health  is  fatal  to  success 
in  any  art. 

4.  Puffing  the  Breath.  —  Assume  standing  position, 
with  active  chest ;  take  a  full  breath,  and,  rounding  the  lips 
as  if  you  were  about  to  say  the  word  "who,"  blow  the  breath 
out  as  you  would  in  blowing  out  a  light ;  inhale  again,  and 
repeat  the  puffing. 

5.  Puff  and  Pause.  —  Puff  the  breath  as  before,  three 
times,  pausing  about  five  or  more  seconds,  holding  the 
breath  between  the  puffs.  In  holding  the  breath,  let  there 
be  no  pressure  upon  the  lungs  or  throat,  but  control  it  by 
keeping  the  waist-muscles  still.     (See  "  Holding  Breath."  ) 

6.  Puff  and  Breathe.  —  Puff  three  times  in  the  same 
way  as  before,  breathing  between  the  puffs,  thus :  place  the 
fingers  of  one  hand  on  the  upper  part  of  the  chest,  the  fingers 
of  the  other  hand  on  the  abdominal  muscles ;  keep  the  chest 


24  ELOCUTION. 

still,  and  make  the  abdominal  muscles  sink  every  time  you 
puff  out  the  breath,  and  expand,  every  time  you  take  in 
breath,  between  the  puffs.  In  this  exercise  breathe  through 
both  nose  and  mouth.  By  practice  of  these  three  ways  of 
expelling  breath  you  get  command  of  it. 

7.  Holding  the  Breath.  —  When  you  hold  your  breath 
for  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  or  try  to  control  it  for  any 
purpose  of  speech,  you  should  do  so  by  means  of  the  muscles 
spoken  of  in  "  Dorsal  Breathing,"  as  being  the  ones  used  in 
right  manner  of  breathing.  You  must  try  to  control  the 
breath  by  keeping  the  waist-muscles  still ;  and  there  should 
be  no  feeling  of  pressure  or  uneasiness  on  the  lungs,  or  in  the 
throat  or  mouth.  "If  at  first  you  don't  succeed,  try,  try 
again:  time  will  bring  you  your  reward:  try,  try  again." 
Get  control  of  the  waist-muscles  so  as  to  keep  them  still ; 
and,  while  you  hold  them  still,  there  is  no  possibility  of  the 
breath  getting  out. 

TONE. 

A  good  tone  in  speech  is  as  much  to  be  desired  as  it  is  in 
song.  Some  have  it  as  a  gift  of  nature  ;  and  all  can  acquire 
it,  in  a  degree,  by  judicious  practice.  If  you  have  an  excel- 
lent voice,  you  can  make  it  still  more  excellent  by  practice; 
and,  if  you  have  a  poor  voice,  you  can,  by  practice,  make  it 
full,  pleasant,  and  effective,  and  excel  that  one  who  has  a 
good  voice,  but  makes  no  effort  to  improve  it.  The  tone- 
exercises  here  given  are  designed  to  give  command  of  tone, 
and  develop  purity  and  power.  They  should  be  practised 
five  minutes  at  a  time,  at  four  different  times  of  the  day, 
and  double  that  time  if  possible,  in  order  to  get  the  greatest 
amount  of  good  from  them.  Use  any  tones  of  your  voice, 
high  or  low,  without  being  at  all  particular  about  an  exact 
musical  pitch ;  though,  if  you  can  practise  with  an  organ  or 
piano,  you  will  find  it  much  more  beneficial. 

1.  Glottis  Stroke.  —  Assume  standing  position  with 
active  chest ;  take  full  breath,  and  whisper  forcibly  the  word 
"who"  three  times.  Repeat  the  same.  Now  w^hisper 
"who  "  twice,  and  speak  it  aloud  the  third  time  ;  then  whis- 
per "who"  once,  and  speak  it  aloud  the  second  and  third 
time;  then  speak  "who"  aloud  three  times.  Now  speak 
^'  who  "  twice,  and  the  third  time  say  "  oo  "  as  those  letters 
sound  in  the  word  woo ;  then  say  "  who  "  once,  and  "  oo  "  the 
second    and    third  time  ;    then  "  oo "  three  times.      You 


ELOCUTION.  25 

should  make  both  the  whisper  and  vocal  sound  very  short 
and  sudden,  without  any  feeling  of  contraction  or  effort  in 
the  throat  or  mouth.  It  should  seem  to  you  as  if  the  sound 
came  from  the  lips ;  and,  while  you  are  energetic  in  the  exer- 
cise, it  must  be  done  with  perfect  ease.  You  have  thus  pro- 
ceeded, from  an  easy,  forcible  whisper,  to  an  easy,  forcible 
sound,  and  have  thus  obtained  what  is  called  the  "  Glottis 
Stroke/'  After  diligent  practice  on  the  above  exercise,  use 
any  of  the  short  vowels  (see  "  Articulation  ") ;  speaking  each 
vowel  three  times  very  shortly,  as  you  did  the  vowel- 
sound  00. 

2.  Soft  Tones.  —  Assume  standing  position  with  active 
chest,  and  take  breath ;  prolong  very  softly  oo  as  long  as 
your  breath  will  let  you,  being  careful  not  to  force  the  sound 
to  continue  after  you  feel  the  slightest  need  of  breath,  and 
also  not  to  change  the  position  of  the  mouth  from  begin- 
ning to  end  of  the  sound.  Repeat  three  times.  In  this 
exercise  you  will  probably  hear  the  voice  waver,  and  find  it 
difficult  to  keep  it  very  soft,  and  yet  distinct.  Practice 
will  overcome  this,  and  the  exercise  will  be  found  very 
beneficial.  The  ability  to  do  it  shows  cultivation  of  voice. 
After  some  time,  use  also  the  long  vowels.  (See  "  Articu- 
lation.") 

3.  Swelling  Tones.  —  Assume  standing  position  with 
active  chest,  and  take  full  breath;  then  begin  the  vowel  oo 
very  softly,  and  gradually  swell  it  to  a  full  tone,  and  then  as 
gradually  diminish  it  to  the  gentlest  sound.  Be  careful,  as 
in  soft  tone,  as  to  breath,  and  position  of  mouth.  After 
some  practice,  you  should  be  able  to  continue  on  one  breath, 
either  the  soft  tone  or  swelling  tone,  twenty  seconds ;  which 
is  long  enough  for  practical  purposes.  Use  same  vov/els 
as  in  soft  tone. 

PITCH. 

It  is  necessary  to  all  expressive  reading  that  there  should 
be  as  much  variation  in  pitch  of  voice  —  that  is,  as  to  high 
and  low  tones  —  as  possible,  and  not  overdo.  The  pleasantest 
quality  of  voice,  without  variation  in  pitch,  is  tiresome  to  the 
listener.  To  get  command  of  pitch,  you  must  practise  till 
the  high  and  low  tones  are  as  easy  to  make  as  the  common 
conversational  tones.  If  you  can  sing  the  musical  scale  of 
one  octave  in  key  of  C,  or  B  flat,  you  will  find  these  exer- 
cises more  beneficial  than  if  you  cannot  sing.     If  you  cannot 


26  ELOCUTION, 

sing,  take  a  relatively  high  or  low  pitch,  as  your  ear  may 
guide  you,  and  practise  the  chanting  and  reading  of  sen- 
tences as  well  as  you  can. 

1.  Learn  the  Musical  Scale.  —  Sing  the  scale  in 
music,  using  first  the  glottis  stroke ;  that  is,  speak  each  very 
short  as  you  go  up  and  down  the  scale.  Then  practise  soft 
tone  and  swelling  tone  on  each  tone  w^ithin  compass  of  your 
voice. 

2.  Chant  Sentences.  —  Use  one  tone  of  voice,  and  take 
any  sentence,  prolonging  the  words  without  reference  to  the 
sense,  without  change  of  tone  from  beginning  to  end.  When 
you  use  a  high  tone,  make  it  light  and  clear ;  when  you  use 
a  low  tone,  make  it  full,  free,  and  forcible.  Chant  on  each 
tone  separately  within  the  compass  of  the  voice. 

3.  Read  Sentences.  —  Use  the  same  sentences  as  for 
chanting,  and,  beginning  on  each  tone  of  the  voice,  speak  it 
as  you  would  in  earnest  conversation,  in  a  way  to  give  the 
meaning  of  it.  You  will  see  that  if  you  begin  with  high 
pitch,  although  your  voice  varies  in  speaking,  it  will  be  a 
relatively  high  pitch  through  the  whole  sentence ;  and,  if  you 
begin  low,  it  will  be  relatively  low.  With  high  pitch,  make 
your  voice  light  and  clear;  and  with  low  pitch,  full,  free,  and 
forcible. 

INFLECTION. 

In  inflection  the  voice  slides  up  or  down  in  pitch  on  a 
word,  and  by  so  doing  impresses  your  meaning  on  the  lis- 
tener. Inflections  are  infinite  in  number;  but  a  few  of  them 
practised  will  be  of  benefit  in  getting  command  over  them. 
When  the  voice  slides  up,  it  is  called  rising  inflection ;  if 
down,  a  falling.  If  it  slides  both  ways  on  the  same  word,  it 
is  called  circumflex  ;  and  if  it  \7aries  but  little,  and  is  very 
like  a  chant  in  song,  it  is  called  monotone.  A  major  inflec- 
tion gives  an  effect  of  strength ;  a  minor,  of  feebleness. 

L  Major  Falling  Inflection.  —  A  falling  inflection  is 
indicated  by  Q)  over  the  accented  syllable  of  an  emphatic 
word.  If  you  do  not  already  know  the  difference  between  a 
rising  and  falling  inflection,  suppose  I  say  to  you,  "  The  book 
is  on  the  table,"  and  you,  not  understanding  what  place  I 
said,  should  ask,  "  Where?  "  and  I  answer,  "  On  the  table." 
Your  question  would  be  made  with  rising,  and  my  answer 
with  falling  inflection.  Use  any  vowel-sounds,  and  practise 
the  falling  inflection  as  you  would  hear  it  on  the  word  "  table,*' 


ELOCUTION,  27 

avoiding  all  motion  of  head,  arms,  or  body,  and  making  it 
with  much  energy  of  voice,  as  if  expressing  strong  determi- 
nation. 

2.  Major  Rising  Inflection.  —  This  is  indicated  by  a  (') 
over  the  emphatic  word.  Practise  with  any  vowel-sounds 
the  inflection  as  you  would  hear  it  on  "where,"  as  above, 
observing  same  directions  as  in  major  falling  inflections. 

3.  Major  Rising  and  Falling  Inflections.  —  Practise 
rising  followed  by  falling,  as  oh,  oh,  lih,  ah,  awe,  awe,  &c., 
using  long  and  short  vowels.  Then  falling  followed  by 
rising,  as  oh,  oh,  ah,  ah,  awe,  awe,  &c.,  using  long  and  short 
vowels.  Use  these  as  if  asking  a  simple  unimportant  ques- 
tion, and  giving  a  like  answer ;  then  a  que^^tion  and  answer 
of  earnestness;  then  of  surprise;  then  of  great  astonish- 
ment. In  so  doing,  your  voice  will  range  higher  and  lower 
in  inflection  than  you  otherwise  would  make  it.  Do  not  let 
any  of  the  inflections  sound  plaintive  or  feeble,  but  make 
them  strong  and  decisive. 

4.  Minor  Rising  and  Falling  Inflections.  —  Use  the 
same  exercises  as  under  major  rising  and  falling,  just  men- 
tioned ;  with  this  difference,  that  you  make  them  so  as  to 
sound  week,  feeble,  plaintive,  or  sad.  They  should  be  prac- 
tised that  you  may  become  familiar  with  their  sound,  and 
have  them  at  command,  so  as  to  use  them  when  needed  for 
expression,  and  avoid  them  when  not. 

5.  Circumflex  Inflection.  —  This  inflection  is  indi- 
cated by  a  mark  (V  A)  or  {J^)  because  it  is  a  combination  of 
rising  and  falling  inflection.  The  first  is  rising  circumflex, 
because  it  ends  with  the  rising ;  the  second  is  falling  cir- 
cumflex, because  it  ends  with  falling  inflection.  It  is  used 
in  expression  of  doubt,  irony,  sarcasm ;  as  in  "  The  Merchant 
of  Venice,"  act  1,  scene  3,  Shylock  says  to  Antonio, 
*'  Hath  a  dog  money?  Is  it  possible  a  cur  can  lend  three 
thousand  ducats?  "  You  will  see,  if  read  to  express  Shy- 
lock's  irony  and  sarcasm,  that  the  words  would  be  inflected, 
as  marked,  with  rising  circumflex.     Practise  these  circam- 

'flex  inflections  with  vowels  as  directed  under  major  rising 
and  falling  inflections.  The  falling  circumflex  being  the 
reverse  of  the  rising,  when  once  you  are  familiar  with  the 
rising,  can  be  easily  made. 

6.  Monotone.  —  This  comes  as  near  to  being  one  tone 
of  voice  as  it  can  be,  and  at  the  same  time  keep  its  expres- 
siveness as  reading.     It  is  not  really,  as  its  name  might  indi- 


28  ELOCUTION. 

cate,  one  tone,  as  that  would  be  like  chanting  in  singing ; 
but  it  is  variation  of  inflection  within  very  small  limit  of 
range  in  pitch.  It  is  best  practised  as  song,  however.  Pro- 
long, on  a  low  pitch,  any  of  the  long  vowels,  about  five 
seconds.     The  mark  for  monotone  is  (-)  placed  over  a  word. 

QUALITY. 

The  quality  of  the  voice  is  that  which  affects  us  agreeably 
or  disagreeably;  and  we  say  it  is  gruff,  or  husky,  or  harsh, 
or  pleasant,  &c.  Four  general  and  distinct  qualities  need  to 
be  practised  until  they  are  at  command  of  the  mind. 

1.  Whisper. — AVhisper  the  long  and  short  vowels  very 
easily  and  quietly  at  first,  without  the  slightest  feeling  of 
effort  in  throat  or  mouth,  and  perfectly  free  from  hoarseness 
or  murmuring.  As  soon  as  you  can  make  a  clear  whisper 
heard  across  the  room,  whisper  so  as  to  be  heard  farther  off, 
and  so  proceed  gradually,  day  by  day,  until  you  can  whisper, 
clearly  and  without  effort,  loud  enough  to  be  heard  in  a 
large  hall.  Do  not  practise  whispering  more  than  three 
minutes  at  a  time. 

2.  Aspirate  Quality.  —  This  is  what,  in  general,  is 
called  undertone.  It  is  a  mixture  of  whisper  and  voice,  and 
is  what  you  would  be  likely  to  use  when  in  company  you 
speak  to  any  one  with  a  desire  not  to  be  overheard  by  others. 
Practise  with  vowels  as  in  whisper. 

3.  Pure  Quality.  —  Speak  the  long  vowels  in  your  con- 
versational tone  as  pleasantly  as  you  can,  tossing*  the  tone 
lightly,  as  if  speaking  to  some  one  across  a  large  hall. 
Speak  each  vowel  three  times  on  one  breath.  Practise  them 
first  speaking  shortly,  then  with  prolonging  of  each  tone 
not  over  five  seconds. 

4.  Orotund  Quality.  —  This  quality  is  seldom- to  be 
heard  in  uncultivated  voices,  but  is  inuch  to  be  desired  in  a 
speaker.  It  can  only  be  acquired  slowly  and  with  much 
practice.  It  will  be  easily  recognized  when  heard,  as  it 
l^ossesses  a  fulness  and  richness  of  tone  very  pleasing.  It 
is  not  high,  but  seems  low  in  pitch ;  and,  although  it  does  not 
sound  loud,  it  seems  to  be  effective,  and  reach  a  long  dis- 
tance. To  acquire  it,  practise,  as  recommended  in  "  Pitch," 
the  chanting  and  ]:eading  of  sentences  on  the  conversational 
and  lower  tones  of  the  voice ;  also  swelling  tone  under 
"  Tone,"  on  low  pitch,  using  long  vowels,  especially  oo,  oh, 
awe,  ah. 


ELOCUTION.  29 


FORCE. 

Force  is  the  degree  of  loudness  or  softness  we  may  g-ive  to 
the  voice.  You  should  be  able  to  speak  gently  without 
feebleness  or  weakness  of  voice,  and  so  as  to  be  distinctly 
heard  in  a  large  hall,  and  also  to  make  the  fullest  and  loud- 
est voice  without  showing  any  effort  to  do  so. 

1.  Gentle  Force.  —  Chant  and  read  sentences,  as  under 
*'  Pitch,"  with  the  gentlest  force  you  can,  and  yet  make  it 
so  as  to  seem  to  be  clear  and  distinct.  Do  this  on  every 
pitch  you  can,  high  or  low. 

2.  Moderate  Force.  —  Read  and  chant  as  above  on  the 
middle  and  higher  tones,  with  about  the  force  of  earnest 
conversation. 

3.  Loud  Force.  —  Read  and  chant  as  above,  using  only 
the  middle  and  lower  tones  of  the  voice,  making  the  loudest 
tones  you  can,  without  straining  the  throat.  Force  of  voice 
depends  on  the  management  of  the  muscles  below  the  lungs; 
and  you  should  have  perfect  freedom  from  all  effort  on  the 
part  of  lungs,  throat,  or  mouth,  on  any  pitch,  high,  middle, 
or  low.  If  any  effort  is  perceptible  to  you,  it  will  be  a  feel- 
ing of  strength  and  power  at  the  waist ;  and  experience  and 
practice  must  teach  you  how  much  or  how  little  effort  to 
make  at  that  point.  The  loudest  force,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  purest  quality,  is  secured  when  it  seems  to  make  it- 
self without  the  slightest  feeling  of  effort  on  your  part. 

STRESS. 

Stress  is  the  manner  of  applying  force  to  a  word  or  ac- 
cented syllable.  Prof.  L.  B.  Monroe,  in  his  book  on  vocal 
culture,  enumerates  six  kinds.  The  marks  he  uses  to  repre- 
sent them  exhibit  clearly  to  the  eye  what  the  voice  is  re- 
quired to  do.  With  radical,  terminal,  and  compound  stress, 
after  facility  is  gained  by  use  of  stroke  from  the  shoulder, 
omit  it,  and  do  them  forcibly  without  movement  of  any 
part  of  the  body. 

1.  Radical  Stress.  —  So  called,  because  the  stress  is 
on  the  beginning  of  the  word,  and  marked  thus  (>).  As- 
sume standing  position  with  active  chest,  and  take  breath ; 
touch  the  fingers  to  the  shoulder,  and- strike  forward  and 
downward,  stojiping  the  hands  half  way,  and  clinching  the 
fibt  very  tightly  ;    at  the  moment  of  stopping,  speak   the 


80  ELOCUTION. 

vowel  "ah  ''  very  shortly.  You  will  notice  that  the  voice 
issues  full,  and  seems  to  suddenly  vanish  in  a  manner  well 
indicated  by  the  mark  above.  Use  any  vowels,  long  or  short, 
with  middle  pitch  of  voice.  Practise  afterward  without 
any  movement  of  the  arms. 

2.  Median  Stress.  —  So  called,  because  the  force  is  on 
the  middle  of  the  word,  marked  thus  (O).  It  is  the  same 
as  swelling  tone,  but  is  much  shorter.  Practise  with  long 
vowels  on  middle  tones  of  voice,  making  three  short  swells 
on  the  same  vowel  in  one  breath. 

3.  Terminal  Stress.  —  So  called,  because  the  force  is  on 
the  end  of  the  word,  and  marked  thus  (<C).  Use  the  same 
movement  as  in  radical  stress ;  begin  the  sound  softly  when 
the  hand  leaves  the  shoulder,  stopping  it  suddenly  as  the 
hands  clinch.  The  voice  seems  to  be  jerked  out.  Practise 
also  without  arm-movements,  using  the  same  vowels  as  in 
radical  stress. 

4.  Thorough  Stress.  —  So  called,  because  the  force  is 
loud  from  beginning  to  end,  and  marked  thus  ( ).  Pro- 
long about  ten  seconds  long  vowels,  with  a  loud  full  voice 
on  middle  pitch. 

5.  Compound  Stress.  —  So  called,  because  it  is  a  union 
of  radical  and  terminal  stress,  and  marked  (^X).  The  force 
is  on  both  beginning  and  end  of  the  word,  and  may  be  made 
by  striking  twice  in  succession,  continuing  the  voice  from 
radical  to  terminal  without  pause  of  voice  between  the 
strokes. 

6.  Tremolo  Stress.  —  This  is  a  trembling  of  voice,  and 
marked  thus  {^^^).  Prolong  long  vow^els,  making  the  voice 
'tremble  while  you  do  so. 

MOVEMENT. 

Movement  is  the  degree  of  rapidity  or  slowness  with 
which  you  speak  the  articulate  sounds.  The  danger  in  fast 
movement  is,  that  you  will  not  articulate  plainly ;  and  in 
slow,  that  you  will  drawl. 

1.  Quick  Movement.  —  Us^  exercise  of  chanting  and 
reading  sentences,  as  under  "Pitch,"  using  the  middle  tones 
of  voice;  and  repeat  the  words  with  the  utmost  possible 
rapidity,  with  perfect  articulation.  In  chanting,  do  not  mind 
the  sense  ;  but,  in  reading,  be  particular  to  give  the  meaning 
of  the  sentence. 

2.  Moderate  Movement.  —  Use  exercise  as  above 
about  as  fast  as  ordinary  talking. 


ELOCUTION. 


31 


3.  Slow  Movement.  —  Use  exercise  as  above,  with  very 
slow  movement  of  voice.  In  chanting,  prolong  each  word 
about  alike;  in  reading,  give  good  expression,  and  you  will 
see  that  the  more  important  words  usually  take  the  long- 
est time. 

ARTICULATION. 

Articulation  is  the  utterance  of  the  elementary  sounds, 
which,  when  combined,  make  language.  You  have  been 
using  the  sounds  that  make  up  speech,  in  combination,  every 
day ;  but  it  is  a  good  practice  to  make  each  element  sepa- 
rately. After  you  are  able  to  make  each  sound  distinctly, 
you  will  find  you  can  make  yourself  understood  in  a  large 
hall  without  using  a  loud  voice.  Your  jaw,  lips,  and  tongue 
should  move  actively  and  easily.  For  this  purpose  use  long 
vowels,  —  Xo.  1,  No.  8,  No.  14, — speaking  them  in  quick 
succession,  one  after  the  other,  making  them  distinct,  and 
making  the  jaw  and  lips  move  as  much  as  you  can  with 
ease.  Continue  to  the  extent  of  your  breath.  Then  use  the 
same  with  />,  h,  or  m  before  them  ;  then  with  t,  d,  or  n ,  then 
k,  cj,  or  y.  Continue  this  practice  about  five  minutes  at  a 
time,  until  the  jaw,  lips,  and  tongue  will  move  with  perfect 
ease. 

ELEMENTARY  SOUNDS. 

In  the  exercises  here  given,  use  the  sound,  not  the  name 
of  the  letters  which  represents  the  sound,  and  practise  sep- 
arately the  sounds  represented  by  the  Italic  letters  below. 
The  only  correct  way  to  learn  them  is  from  the  lips  of  a 
competent  teacher ;  but  you  will  do  well,  and  improve,  if  you 
try  the  best  you  can  in  your  way. 


VOWELS. 

Long, 

Short. 

Diphthongs. 

1. 

e  as 

in 

meet. 

2.    i  as  in   it. 

81.     i    as   in   pie. 

31. 

a  " 

may. 

4.    e    **     '*    met. 

111.    oi    "     *'     oil. 

5. 

ai  " 

aiT. 

5.    a    '*     **    at. 

814.  ow    «     «<     o^^t. 

6. 

e  " 

her. 

1.   a   ''     **    Cuba. 

114.      w    **     **     yo?i 

8. 

a  '' 

ah. 

9.  u    "     **    wp. 

10. 

a  *' 

awe. 

11.    0    **     **    on. 

1214. 

0   '* 

oh. 

13.00    "     **    foot. 

12. 

0  "■ 

ore. 

14. 

00    ** 

woo. 

Clides. 


-1-14  of  the  vowels,  and  r  when  it  follows  a  vowel,  ar« 
by  Prof.  Bell  called  "  Glides." 


32 


ELOCUTION. 


CONSONANTS    OR   ARTICULATIONS. 


Breath, 
p    as  in  pay. 


toll  ' 

t 
ch 


sh 

k 
h 


why. 

fie. 

thin. 

tie. 

chew. 


shoe. 
key. 


Voice. 
b    as  in  6a 


w 

V 

th 

d    ' 

J 
I 
r 

z 
zh 


way. 
'  vie. 
'  then. 
■  die. 
'  jew. 

'  i'^y- 

'  ray. 
'  2;eal. 
'  a^ure. 

ye. 

go. 


Nasal, 
m  as  in  may. 

n    "    "  nigh. 


Place  in  Mouth. 
Lips. 

Lips  and  teeth. 
Tongue  **     " 
Tip  of  tongue. 


Whole  tongue. 
Back  of 


ng  '     *    sine/, 
he",  hay,  ha,  ho,  is  a  whispered  vowel,  taking  the  posi- 
tion of  the  vowel  following  it. 

Of  the  vowels,  the  numbers  indicate  positions  of  mouth ; 
and,  where  numbers  are  alike,  the  positions  are  alike.  Each 
vowel-sound  is  made  by  unobstructed  sounds  issuing  through 
a  certain  position  of  mouth.  The  position  is  unchanged 
with  single  vowels,  and  those  have  but  one  number.  The 
position  changes  in  double  vowels  and  diphthongs ;  and  those 
have  two  numbers, — one  large,  one  small.  As  each  number 
represents  a  position  of  mouth,  you  can  easily  see  by  com- 
paring what  sounds  are  made  from  combining  others.  The 
number  in  the  largest  size  type  of  the  two  represents  the 
position  that  is  kept  when  the  sound  is  prolonged  :  as  in  8^ 
prolong  the  8  or  ah,  and  make  ^  or  ee  very  short ;  and  in  ^14 
make  ^  very  short,  and  prolong  14.  The  positions  represented 
by  the  small  figures  are  called  "  Glides,"  because  the  position 
is  hardly  assumed  before  the  sound  is  finished.  Diphthongs 
are  sounds  made  by  combining  vowel-sounds,  as  8^  ah-ee. 
Of  the  consonants,  or,  as  well  named  by  Prof.  Bell,  articula- 
tions, —  because  two  parts  of  the  mouth  have  to  come  togeth- 
er and  separate  in  order  to  finish  the  element,  thus  obstructing 
the  breath  or  voice,  —  those  in  line  across  the  page  with 
each  other  are  alike  in  position  of  mouth ;  those  in  first 
column  are  made  with  breath  only,  passing  out  through  the 
mouth  ;  those  in  second  column,  with  sound  passing  out 
through  the  mouth  ;  those  in  third  column  are  sound  pass- 
injTf  out  through  the  nose.  For  instance,  p,  b,  m,  are  in  line 
with  each  other ;  and,  if  you  will  make  the  three  sounds  rep- 
resented by  those  letters,  you  will  see  that  the  same  position 
of  mouth  is  assumed  for  each,  and  that  p  is  breath  forced 


ELOCUTION. 


33 


out  of  mouth,  h  is  sound  out  of  mouth,  m  is  sound  passing 
out  of  nose. 

Practise  these  sounds  of  vowels  and  articulations  until 
you  can  make  them  forcibly  and  easily,  with  elastic  move- 
ment of  jaw,  tongue,  and  lips;  and  remember  that  force 
depends  on  the  strength  and  good  control  of  muscles  below 
the  lungs.  Then  unite  them  by  placing  articulations  before 
vowels,  giving  most  force  to  the  vowel,  but  make  both  clear 
and  distinct.  Then  use  articulations  both  before  and  after 
tiie  vowel,  still  giving  the  vowel  the  most  force,  but  mak- 
ing the  articulation  that  begins  and  ends  equally  distinct 
and  clear.  To  arrange  these  for  your  practice  in  this  small 
book  would  take  too  much  space.  You  have  above  each 
element  of  the  English  language  clearly  shown,  and  can 
easily  combine  them  as  directed. 


SUMMARY  OF  PHYSICAL  AND  VOCAL  GYMNAS- 
TICS. 

PHYSICAL  GYMNASTICS. 


1.  Standing  Position. 

2.  Speaker's        " 


ATTITUDE. 

3.  Sitting  Position. 

4.  Change        " 

5.  Poise. 


6.  Pise  on  Toes. 

7.  Holding  Book. 


CHEST  EXPANSION. 


1.  Active  and  Passive  Chest. 

2.  Arms  at  Side. 

3.  Fore-arm  Vertical. 


4.  Percussion.  Full  Arm. 

5.  "  Hands  on  Chest. 


1.  Body  bend  forward  and  back. 

2.  ♦'        ''     right  and  left. 

3.  **    turn       "  ** 


BODY  AND  NECK  MOVEMENTS. 

4.  Neck  bend  forward  and  back. 

5.  *'        "    right  and  left. 

6.  '*     turn    "  " 


VOCAL  GYMNASTICS. 

Note.  —  Be  sure  and  keep  ACTIVE  CHEST  in  all  vocal  exercises. 


BREATHING. 


1.  Abdominal. 

2.  Costal. 

3.  Dorsal. 

4.  Puff. 


5.  Puff  —  Pause  between. 

6.  "        Breathe     " 

7.  Holding  Breath. 


34  ELOCVTLOiN, 

TONE. 

Note.  —  Infolloioing  exercises  use  first  long,  then  short  voivels. 

1.  Glottis  stroke.     Who,  whispered,  followed  by  short  vowels 

quickly  spoken. 

2.  Soft  Tones.    Use  oo-oh-awe-ah  first,  then  any  other  vowels. 

3.  Swell  Tones.    Use  vowels  as  in  Soft  Tones. 


1.  Learn  Musical  Scale.    Practise  Tone  Exercise  on  each  tone 

within  compass  of  voice. 

2.  Chant  sentences  on  each  tone. 

3.  Kead  sentences,  beginning  on  each  tone. 

INFLECTION. 

1.  Major,  fall  from  different  pitches. 

2.  "        rise 

3.  **  "    and  fall  from  diiferent  pitches. 

4.  Minor  rise  and  fall. 

6.   Circumflex,  rise  and  fall. 
6.  Monotone,  different  pitches. 

QUALITY. 

1,  Whisper.       |    2.  Aspirate.       |    3.  Pure.       |    4.  Orotund. 

FORCE. 

Note.  —  Use  exercises  under  Pitch,  Nos.  2  and  3,  with  different 
degrees  of  force. 

1.  Gentle.  |         2.  Moderate.  |         3.  Loud. 


1.  Radical.  I         3.  Terminal.  I         5.   Compound. 

2.  Median.  |         4.   Thorough.  |         6.  Tremolo. 

movement. 

Note.  —  Use  exercises  under  Pitch,  Nos.  2  and  3,  with  different 
rates  of  movement. 

1.  Quick.  I         2.  Moderate.  |         3.  Slow. 

ARTICULATION. 

Note.  —  Use  only  sounds  represented  hjj  Italicized  letters  in  the 
words  and  letters  below. 

1.  Elementary  Sounds.    I  3.  Words.  I  5.   Sentences. 

2.  Syllables.  |  4.  Phrases.  | 

Long  Vowels.    1.  meet.    3^.  may.    5.  air.    6.  her.    8.  ah.    10 
awe.    1214.  oh,    12.  ore.    14.  woo. 


ELOCUTION. 


35 


Short  Vowels. 

13.  foot. 
Diphthongs.    8^.  pie. 
Glides.    1.  — 14.-r. 
Articulations.   Lips 


2.  it.    4.  met.    5.  at.    7.  Cuba.    9.  wp.    11.  on. 
111.  o/i,    814.  otft.    yl4,  you. 


p,b,m-wh,w.  Lij>s  and  Teeth — f,v.  Teeth 
and  Tongue  —  tli  (thin),  th  (then).  Tip  of  Tongue  —  t,d,7i-l- 
r-ch,  j-s,z-sh,zh.  Tongue  —  y.  Back  of  Tongue  —  k,g,  ng. 
Whispered  Vowel  —  h. 


36  ELOCUTION. 


PAET    THEEE. 


ELOCUTION. 

If  you  have  faithfully  practised  Parts  One  and  Two,  you 
have  gained  some  control  of  voice,  and  can  now  begin  elocu- 
tion, or  expression  of  thought  and  feeling.  In  each  of  the  short 
extracts  you  will  find  some  thought  and  feeling  to  express ; 
and  if  you  will  take  pains  to  understand  thoroughly  what 
you  have  to  speak,  and  then  speak  earnestly  as  the  thought 
and  feeling  prompts  you,  you  will  certainly  improve.  Speak 
to  some  person ;  and,  if  no  one  is  present,  imagine  that  there 
is,  and  talk  to  them  :  for  you  need  never  speak  aloud,  unless 
it  is  for  some  one  besides  yourself  to  hear.  Your  first  en- 
deavor as  a  speaker  should  be  to  make  a  pleasant  quality  of 
voice,  so  that  you  may  make  good  listeners  of  your  audience. 
The  following  exercises  suggest  pleasure,  and  let  your  voice 
suggest  the  sentiment. 

PLEASANT  QUALITY. 

1.  A  merrier  man. 

Within  the  limit  of  becoming  mirth, 
I  never  spent  an  hour's  talk  withal : 
His  eye  begets  occasion  for  his  wit ; 
For  every  object  that  the  one  doth  catch. 
The  other  turns  to  a  mirth-moving  jest, 
Which  his  fair  tongue  (conceit's  expositor) 
Delivers  in  such  apt  and  gracious  words, 
That  aged  ears  play  truant  at  his  tales, 
And  younger  hearings  are  quite  ravished. 
So  sweet  and  voluble  is  his  discourse. 

2.  There's  something  in  a  noble  boy, 

A  brave,  free-hearted,  careless  one, 
AVith  his  unchecked,  unbidden  joy. 

His  dread  of  books,  and  love  of  fun,  — 


ELOCUTION.  37 

And  in  his  clear  and  ready  smile, 
Unshaded  by  a  thought  of  guile, 

And  unrepressed  by  sadness,  — 
Which  brings  me  to  my  childhood  back, 
As  if  I  trod  its  very  track, 

And  felt  its  very  gladness. 

3.  The  scene  had  also  its  minstrels :  the  birds,  those  min- 
isters and  worshippers  of  Nature,  were  on  the  wing,  filling 
the  air  with  melody ;  while,  like  diligent  little  housewives,' 
they  ransacked  the  forest  and  field  for  materials  for  their 
housekeeping. 

4.  Let  me  play  the  fool : 

With  mirth  and  laughter  let  old  wrinkles  come; 

And  let  my  liver  rather  heat  with  wine 

Than  my  heart  cool  with  mortifying  groans. 

Why  should  a  man  whose  blood  is  warm  within 

Sit  like  his  grandsire,  cut  in  alabaster? 

Sleep  when  he  wakes  V  and  creep  into  the  jaundice 

By  being  peevish  ? 

5.  Across  in  my  neighbor's  window,  with  its  drapings  of 

satin  and  lace, 
I  see,  'neath  its  flowing  ringlets,  a  baby's  innocent  face. 
His  feet,  in  crimson  slippers,  are  tapping  the  polished 

glass ; 
And  the  crowd  in  the  street  look  upward,  and  nod  and 

smile  as  they  pass. 

6.  How  sweet  the  moolight  sleeps  upon  this  bank ! 
Here  will  w^e  sit,  and  let  the  sounds  of  music 
Creep  in  our  ears  :  soft  stillness  and  the  night 
Become  the  touches  of  sweet  harmony. 

Look  how  the  floor  of  heaven 

Is  thick  inlaid  with  patens  of  bright  gold  I 

There's  not  the  smallest  orb  which  thou  bchold'st, 

But  in  his  motion  like  an  angel  sings, 

Still  quiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubim  : 

Such  harmony  is  in  immortal  souls ; 

But,  whilst  this  muddy  vesture  of  decay 

Doth  grossly  close  it  in,  we  cannot  hear  it. 


38 


ELOCUTION, 


7.  A  cheerful  man  is  pre-eminently  a  useful  man.  He 
knows  that  there  is  much  misery,  but  that  misery  is  not  the 
rule  of  life.  He  sees  that  in  every  state  people  may  be 
cheerful;  the  lambs  skip,  birds  sing  and  fly  joyously,  pup- 
pies play,  kittens  are  full  of  joyance,  the  whole  air  is  full  of 
careering  and  rejoicing  insects ;  that  everywhere  the  good 
outbalances  the  bad,  and  that  every  evil  that  there  is  has 
its  compensating  balm. 

For  other  selections,  see  Baker's  *'  Reading  Club." 


^0. 

Page. 

Verse. 

1 

12 

1 

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all 

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6 

2 

62 

1 

2 

72 

1 

2 

78 

all 

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11 

all 

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35 

all 

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49 

aU 

4 

26 

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92 

1 

ARTICULATION. 

With  pleasant  quality  you  will  make  listeners;  but  you 
wull  soon  weary  them,  unless  you  make  them  understand  by 
clear  articulation.  You  have  made  the  organs  of  articula- 
tion elastic  by  practice  of  elementary  sounds  separately  and 
in  combination.  In  combinations  you  have  made  syllables, 
and  these  syllables  make  words,  words  make  phrases,  phrases 
make  sentences,  sentences  make  up  a  discourse,  address,  ora- 
tion, &c. 

Syllables.  —  Every   syllable    contains    a  vowel,  or  its 

•equivalent ;  as  in  the  following  word,  which  is  separated  by 

hyphens   into   syllables,  —  in-com-pre-hen-si-ble  :    you  will 

hear  a  vowel-sound  in  each,  the   last  syllable  having  the 

sound  of  /  as  an  equivalent. 

Words.  —  A  word  may  have  one  or  more  syllables;  and, 
when  it  has  two  or  more,  one  of  them  will  receive  slightly 
more  force  than  the  others,  as  in  the  word  "common." 
Pronounce  it,  and  you  will  give  more  force  to  "  com  '*  than 
**  mon"     This  force  applied  is  called  accent. 

Accent.  — In  pronoimcing  words,  you  will  notice  that  in 


ELOCUTION.  39 

the  longest  words,  even  while  you  make  each  syllable  dis- 
tinct, there  is  no  perceptible  pause  until  the  word  is  finished. 
In  words  of  two  or  three  syllables  you  will  find  accent  as 
above ;  but  words  of  four  or  more  syllables  have  one  ac- 
cented, and  perhaps  two  syllables  besides,  that  receive  less 
force  than  the  accented,  but  more  than  the  others.  Pro- 
nounce incomprehensibility.  Properly  done,  you  will  hear 
that  you  give  "  ^^i/ "  the  strongest  accent,  and '' com '*  and 
"^e/i"  slight  accent,  but  more  than  the  remaining  sylla- 
bles, "  in,"  "^:>re,"  "s?,""'V'  "^3/-"  'I'he  accent  on  *'^i7"is 
primary  accent;  and  on  the  "co?w"  and  "/ien,"  secondary 
accent. 

Phrases.  —  Two  or  more  words  make  a  phrase ;  and  a 
phrase  gives  you  an  idea,  perhaps,  needing  a  number  of 
phrases  to  make  complete  sense.  You  should  speak  phrases 
just  as  you  would  a  long  word,  without  perceptible  pause, 
and  with  more  force  on  prominent  words  than  others.  Here 
is  a  sentence  composed  of  two  phrases :  "  Fear  the  Lord, 
and  depart  from  evil."  A  poor  reading  of  this  would  be, 
"  Fear  (pause)  the  Lord,  (pause)  and  depart  (pause)  from 
evil."  A  good  reading  would  be,  "  Fear  the  Lord,  (pause) 
and  depart  from  evil." 

Emphasis.  —  As  in  words  you  have  primary  and  second- 
ary accent,  so  in  phrases  you  have  what  is  known  as  em- 
phasis. In  the  sentence  just  given,  the  words  that  had  most 
force  were  "  Lord  "  and  "  evil;  "  and  less  force,  '•^fear'^  and 
^^ depart;"  and  little  or  no  force,  ^^the"  ^'  and,''  and  ^'from.^^ 
You  may  call  this  primary  and  secondary  emphasis,  the 
primary  having,  as  in  accent,  most  force. 

Sextexces.  —  These  phrases,  or  groups  of  words  some- 
what connected  in  idea,  make  sentences ;  and  a  sentence 
gives  complete  sense.  As  syllables  make  words,  and  in 
words  you  have  an  accented  syllable ;  as  words  make 
phrases,  and  in  phrases  you  have  an  emphatic  word :  so,  in 
sentences  composed  of  phrases,  you  have  an  important 
phrase;  and  this  important  phrase  must  be  impressed  upon 
the  mind  of  the  listener  more  strongly  than  any  other.  This 
is  done  by  slightly  added  force  and  a  trifle  higher  pitch ; 
and,  as  you  will  readily  see,  the  emphatic  word  of  the  im- 
portant phrase  is  the  emphatic  word  of  the  whole  sentence. 
Thus  you  have  the  structure  of  sentences ;  and,  if  you  pro- 
portion your  force  well,  you  will  not  fail  to  give  the  mean- 
ing correctly.     In  the  following  sentence,  the  phrases  are 


40  ELOCUTION. 

separated  by  commas;  the  emphatic  words  are  in  smah 
CAPITALS  ;  the  secondarily  emphatic  words  are  in  Italian. 
First  understand  what  the  sentence  means,  then  speak  it 
as  you  would  in  earnest  conversation,  and  you  will  be  likely 
to  give  it  correctly. 

"  We  ALL  of  us,  in  a  great  measure^  create  our  own  happi- 
ness, which  is  not  half  so  much  dependent  upon  scenes  and 
CIRCUMSTANCES  as  uiost  people  are  apt  to  imagine. '^ 

In  this  sentence  the  important  phrase  is,  "  create  our  own 
happiness;  "  and  the  other  phrases  must  be  and  are,  by  a 
good  reader,  subordinated  to  this  one.  This  subordination 
of  phrases  to  the  principal  one  is  made  by  lowering  the  pitch 
slightly,  and  lessening  the  force  slightly  on  the  subordinate 
phrases.  It  is  naturally  done  if  you'll  talk  the  sentence 
understandingly. 

In  the  following  sentences,  — 

1st,  Sound  each  element  of  a  word  separately. 

2d,  Pronounce  each  word  separately,  with  proper  accent, 
being  careful  to  give  each  element  correctly. 

3d,  Read  in  phrases,  remembering  that  each  phrase  should 
be  pronounced  as  a  long  word,  without  pause,  and  with 
emphasis. 

4th,  Read  in  sentences,  subordinating  all  other  phrases  to 
the  principal  phrase. 

1.  When  sorrows  come,  they  come  not  single  spies, 
But  in  battalions. 

2.  There's  such  divinity  doth  hedge  a  king, 
That  treason  can  but  keep  to  what  it  would, 
Acts  little  of  his  will. 

3.  Grandfather  is  old.  His  back,  also,  is  bent.  In  the 
street  he  sees  crowds  of  men  looking  dreadfully  young,  and 
walking  dreadfully  swift.  He  wonders  where  all  the  old 
folks  are.  Once,  when  a  boy,  he  could  not  find  people 
young  enough  for  him,  and  sidled  up  to  any  young  stranger 
he  met  on  Sundays,  wondering  why  God  made  the  world  so 
old.  Now  he  goes  to  Commencement  to  see  his  grandsons 
take  their  degree,  and  is  astonished  at  the  youth  of  the 
audience.  "  This  is  new,"  he  says:  "it  did  not  use  to  be  so 
fifty  years  before." 


ELOCUTION.  41 

4.  Pi'ess  on  !  surmount  the  rocky  steeps ; 

Climb  boldly  o*er  the  torrent's  <arch : 
He  fails  alone  who  feebly  creeps; 
He  wins  who  dares  the  hero's  march. 

5.  Where  I  have  come,  great  clerks  have  purposed 
To  greet  me  with  premeditated  welcomes ; 
Where  I  have  seen  them  shiver  and  look  pale, 
Make  periods  in  the  midst  of  sentences, 
Throttle  their  practised  accent  in  their  fears, 
And,  in  conclusion,  dumbly  have  broke  off, 
Not  paying  me  a  welcome,  trust  me,  sweet, 
Out  of  this  silence  yet  I  picked  a  welcome ; 
And  in  the  modesty  of  fearful  duty 

I  read  as  much  as  from  the  rattling  tongue 
Of  saucy  and  audacious  eloquence. 

6.  Be  not  lulled,  my  countrymen,  with  vain  imaginations 
©r  idle  fancies.  To  hope  for  the  protection  of  Heaven,  with- 
out doing  our  duty,  and  exerting  ourselves  as  becomes  men, 
is  to  mock  the  Deity.  Wherefore  had  man  his  reason,  if  it 
were  not  to  direct  him?  wherefore  his  strength,  if  it  be  not 
his  protection?  To  banish  folly  and  luxury,  correct  vice 
and  immorality,  and  stand  immovable  in  the  freedom  in 
which  we  are  free  indeed,  is  eminently  the  duty  of  each 
individual  at  this  day.  When  this  is  done,  we  may  ration- 
ally hope  for  an  answer  to  our  prayers  —  for  the  whole 
counsel  of  God,  and  the  invincible  armor  of  the  Almighty. 

7.  The  quality  of  mercy  is  not  strained : 

It  droppeth  as  the  gentle  rain  from  heaven 

Upon  the  place  beneath.     It  is  twice  blessed,  — 

It  blesseth  him  that  gives,  and  him  that  takes. 

'Tis  mightiest  in  the  mightiest :  it  becomes 

The  throned  monarch  better  than  his  crown : 

His  sceptre  shows  the  force  of  temporal  power, 

The  attribute  to  awe  and  majesty. 

Wherein  doth  sit  the  dread  and  fear  of  kings. 

But  mercy  is  above  this  sceptred  sway  : 

It  is  enthroned  in  the  hearts  of  kings ; 

It  is  an  attribute  to  God  himself  ; 

And  earthly  power  doth  then  show  likest  God's 

Wlien  mercy  seasons  justice. 


42  ELOCUTION. 


FULNESS  AND  POWER. 

Fulness  of  voice  is  necessary,  that,  when  you  are  speaking 
in  a  large  hall,  your  voice  may  be  powerful.  Most  persons 
could  make  themselves  heard,  and,  with  good  articulation, 
understood;  but  yet  they  would  lack  power,  because  the 
voice  wants  fuhiess.  The  extracts  given  below  will  suggest 
to  you  the  necessity  of  a  full  voice  to  express  them  well. 
Observe  these  directions  in  trying  to  get  a  full,  energetic 
tone :  — 

1st,  Correct  speaker's  position,  take  active  chest,  and 
keep  it. 

2d,  Take  full  breath,  breathe  often,  and  control  it.  (See 
"  Holding  Breath.") 

3d,  Articulate  perfectly. 

4th,  Use  conversational  and  lower  tones  of  the  voice. 

5th,  Fix  the  mind  on  some  distant  spot,  and  speak  as  if 
you  wished  to  make  some  one  hear  at  that  point. 

6th,  Remember  to  be  very  energetic,  and  yet  have  it  seem 
to  a  looker-on  or  listener  to  be  done  without  the  slightest 
effort. 

1.    O'Brien's  voice  is  hoarse  with   joy,   as,  halting,  he 

commands, 
**Fix    bay 'nets  —  charge!"       Like    mountain-storm 

rush  on  these  fiery  bands. 
On  Fontenoy,  on  Fontenoy !  hark  to  that  fierce  huzza  ! 
*'  Kevenge  !  remember  Limerick  !  dash  down  the  Sas- 

senagh ! " 
Like  lions  leaping  at  a  fold  when  mad  with  hunger's 

pang, 
Eight  up  against  the  English  line  the  Irish  exiles 

sprang.    . 
The  English  strove  with  desperate  strength,  paused, 

rallied,  staggered,  fled : 
The  green  hill-side  is  matted  close  with  dying  and 

with  dead. 
On  Fontenoy,  on  Fontenoy,  like  eagles  in  the  sun. 
With   bloody  plumes  the   Irish  stand:    the   field   is 

fought  and  won. 


ELOCUTION.  -^3 

2.  Thou  too  sail  on,  O  Ship  of  State  ! 
Sail  on,  O  Union  strong  and  great ! 
Humanity,  with  all  its  fears. 
With  all  its  hopes  of  future  years, 
Is  hanging  breathless  on  thy  fate. 
We  know  what  master  laid  thy  keel, 
What  workmen  wrought  thy  ribs  of  steel, 
Who  made  each  mast  and  sail  and  rope, 
What  anvils  rang,  what  hammers  beat, 
In  what  a  forge  and  what  a  heat 

Were  shaped  the  anchors  of  thy  hope. 

3.  Oh  !  young  Lochinvar  is  come  out  of  the  west : 
Through  all  the  wide  border  his  steed  was  the  best ; 
And,  save  his  good  broad-sword,  he  weapon  had  none ; 
He  rode  all  unarmed,  and  he  rode  all  alone. 

So  faithful  in  love,  and  so  dauntless  in  war. 
There  never  was  knight  like  the  young  Lochinvar. 

4.  One  song  employs  all  nations :  and  all  cry, 

"  Worthy  the  Lamb,  for  he  was  slain  for  us  !  " 
The  dwellers  in  the  vales  and  on  the  rocks 
Shout  to  each  other ;  and  the  mountain-tops 
From  distant  mountains  catch  the  flying  joy; 
Till,  nation  after  nation  taught  the  strain, 
Earth  rolls  the  rapturous  hosanna  round. 

5.  "  But  I  defy  him  !  —  let  him  come  !  " 

Down  rang  the  massy  cup. 
While  from  its  sheath  the  ready  blade 

Came  flashing  half  way  up ; 
And,  with  the  black  and  heavy  plumes 

Scarce  trembling  on  his  head. 
There,  in  his  dark,  carved,  oaken  chair, 

Old  Rudiger  sat  —  dead  ! 

6.  All  hail  to  our  glorious  ensign  !  Courage  to  the  heart, 
find  strength  to  the  hand,  to  which  in  all  time  it  shall  be 
intrusted  !  May  it  ever  wave  in  honor,  in  unsullied  glory, 
and  patriotic  hope,  on  the  dome  of  the  capitol,  on  the  coun- 
try's stronghold,  on  the  en  tented  plain,  on  the  wave-rocked 
topmast! 


44  ELOCUTION. 

7.   Rejoice,  j^vji  men  of  Anglers !  ring  your  bells ! 

King  John,  your  king  and  England's,  doth  approach, 

Commander  of  this  hot  malicious  day  ! 

Their  armors  that  marched  hence  so  silver  bright 

Hither  return  all  gilt  with  Frenchmen's  blood  ; 

There  stuck  no  plume  in  any  English  crest 

That  is  removed  by  a  staff  of  France  ; 

Our  colors  do  return  in  those  same  hands 

That  did  display  them  when  we  first  marched  forth  ; 

And,  like  a  jolly  troop  of  huntsmen,  come 

Our  lusty  English,  all  with  purpled  hands 

Dyed  in  the  dying  slaughter  of  their  foes. 

INFLECTION. 

Inflection  is  a  slide  of  voice,  either  up  or  down  in  pitch, 
or  both,  on  the  accented  syllable  of  a  word.  You  have 
learned  in  previous  pages  what  kinds  there  are.  Major 
inflections  express  strength  :  minor  express  weakness. 

Rising  inflections  refer  to  something  to  come  that  shall 
complete  the  sense.  If  you  speak  a  phrase  that  needs  another 
to  complete  its  meaning,  you  will  use  a  rising  inflection  to 
connect  them.  If  you  defer  to  another's  will,  opinion,  or 
knowledge,  in  what  you  say,  you  will  use  a  rising  inflection. 
If  you  speak  of  two  or  more  things,  thinking  of  them  as  a 
w^hole,  and  not  separately,  you  use  a  rising  inflection. 

Falling  inflections  are  used  when  a  phrase  or  sentence  is 
complete  in  itself.  If  you  state  your  own  will,  opinion,  or 
knowledge,  you  will  use  falling  inflection.  If  you  speak  of 
two  or  more  things  separately,  wishing  to  make  each  one  by 
itself  distinct  in  the  hearer's  mind,  you  will  use  falling 
inflections. 

Circumflex  inflections,  being  composed  of  rising  and  fall- 
ing inflections  combined,  are  doubtful  in  meaning;  for  if 
rising  means  one  thing,  and  falling  means  another,  a  combi- 
nation must  mean  doubt.     It  expresses  irony,  sarcasm,  &c. 

Monotone  is  a  varying  of  inflection  within  very  narrow 
limits,  and  comes  as  near  to  chanting  as  the  voice  can,  and 
still  retain  the  expressiveness  of  inflection  in  speech.  It 
expresses  any  slow-moving  emotions,  as  grandeur,  awe, 
solemnity,  &c. 

Practise  the  short  extracts  under  each  head  until  you  are 
sure  you  give  the  right  inflection  in  the  right  place. 


ELOCUTION,  45 


MAJOR   RISING   INFLECTION. 

1.  Would  the  influence  of  the  Bible,  even  if  it  were  not 
the  record  of  a  divine  revelation,  be  to  render  princes  more 
tyrannical,  or  subjects  more  ungovernable  ;  the  rich  more 
insolent,  or  the  poor  more  disorderly  ?  Would  it  make  worse 
parents  or  jchildren,  husbands  or  wives,  masters  or  servants, 
friends  or  neighbors  ? 

2.  But  why  pause  here  ?  Is  so  much  ambition  praise- 
worthy, and  more  criminal  ?  Is  it  fixed  in  nature  that  the 
limits  of  this  empire  should  be  Egypt  on  the  one  hand,  the 
Hellespont  and  Euxine  on  the  other  ?  Were  not  Suez  and 
Armenia  more  natural  limits?  Or  hath  empire  no  natural 
limit,  but  is  broad  as  the  genius  that  can  devise,  and  the 
power  that  can  win  ? 

3.    Shine  they  for  aught  but  earth. 

These  silent  stars  ?  ^ 

And,  when  they  sprang  to  birth, 

Who  broke  the  bars 
And  let  their  radiance  out 

To  kindle  space, 
When  rang  God's  morning  shout 

O'er  the  glad  race  ? 
Are  they  all  desolate, 

These  silent  stars  \ 
Hung  in  their  spheres  by  fate, 

Which  nothing  mars  V 
Or  are  they  guards  of  God, 

Shilling  in  prayer, 
On  the  same  path  they've  trod 

Since  light  was  there  ? 

MAJOR   FALLING   INFLECTIONS. 

1.    Stand  up  erect !     Thou  hast  the  form 
And  likeness  of  thy  God  :  who  more  ? 
A  soul  as  dauntless  mid  the  storm 
Of  daily  life,  a  heart  as  warm 
And  pure,  as  breast  e'er  wore.    . 


46  ELOCUTION, 

2.  Methinks  I  hear  hither  your  husband's  drum ; 
See  him  pluck  Auiidius  down  by  the  hair, 

As  children  from  a  bear,  the  Voices  shunning  him ; 
Methinks  I  see  him  stamp  thus,  and  call  thus,  — 
Come  on,  you  cowards!  you  were  got  in  fear, 
Though  you  zvere  horn  in  Rome :  his  bloody  brow 
With  his' mailed  hand  then  wiping,  forth  he  goes, 
Like  to  a  harvest-man  that's  tasked  to  mow 
Or  all,  or  lose  his  hire. 

3.  Mahomet  still  lives  in  his  practical  and  disastrous  in- 
fluence in  the  East.  Napoleon  still  is  France,  and  France 
is  almost  Napoleon.  Martin  Luther's  dead  dust  sleeps  at 
Wittenberg;  but  Martin  Luther's  accents  still  ring  through 
the  churches  of  Christendom.  Shakspeare,  Byron,  and 
Milton,  all  live  in  their  influence,  —  for  good  or  evil.  The 
apostle  from  his  chair,  the  minister  from  his  pulpit,  the 
martyr  from  his  flame-shroud,  the  statesman  from  his  cabi- 
net, the  soldier  in  the  field,  the  sailor  on  the  deck,  who  all 
have  passed  away  to  their  graves,  still  live  in  the  practical 
deeds  that  they  did,  in  the  lives  they  lived,  and  in  the  power- 
ful lessons  that  they  left  behind  them. 

MINOR    RISING   INFLECTIONS. 

1.  "  Let  me  see  him  once  before  he  dies  ?  Let  me  hear 
his  voice  once  more  ?    I  entreat  you,  let  me  enter.'* 

2.    Stay,  lady,  stay,  for  mercy's  sake, 

And  hear  a  helpless  orphan's  tale  I 
Ah  !  sure  my  looks  must  pity  wake  : 

'Tis  want  that  makes  my  cheek  so  pale. 
Yet  I  was  once  a  mother's  pride, 

And  my  brave  father's  hope  and  joy ; 
But  in  the  Nile's  proud  fight  he  died, 

And  I  am  now  an  orphan-boy. 

3.   They  answer,  "  Who  is  God  that  he  should  hear  us 
While  the  rushing  of  the  iron  wheels  is  stirred  V 
When  w^e  sob  aloud,  the  human  creatures  near  us 
Pass  by,  hearing  not,  or  answer  not  a  word. 
Is  it  likely  God,  with  angels  singing  round  hinu 
Hears  our  weeping,  any  more  ?  " 


ELOCUTION.  47 


MINOR   FALLING   INFLECTIONS. 

1.  God  forbid  that  we  should  outlive  the  love  of  our  chil- 
dren !  Rather  let  us  die  while  their  hearts  are  a  part  of 
our  own,  that  our  grave  may  be  watered  with  their  tears, 
and  our  love  linked  with  their  hopes  of  heaven. 

2.   Her  suffering  ended  with  the  day ; 
Yet  lived  she  at  its  close, 
And  breathed  the  long,  long  night  away 
In  statue-like  repose. 

But,  when  the  sun  in  all  his  state 

Illumed  the  eastern  skies, 
She  passed  through  glory's  moruing-gate, 

And  walked  in  paradise. 

3.   Father  cardinal,  I  have  heard  you  say 

That  we  shall  see  and  know  our  friends  in  heaven. 

If  that  be  true,  I  shall  see  my  boy  again ; 

For  since  the  birth  of  Cain,  the  first  male  child, 

To  him  that  did  but  yesterday  suspire, 

There  was  not  such  a  gracious  creature  born. 

But  now  will  canker-sorrow  eat  my  bud. 

And  chase  the  native  beauty  from  his  cheek ; 

And  he  will  look  as  hollow  as  a  ghost, 

As  dim  and  meagre  as  an  ague's  fit : 

And  so  he'll  die ;  and,  rising  so  again. 

When  I  shall  meet  him  in  the  court  of  heaven 

I  shall  not  know  him  :  therefore  never,  never 

Must  I  behold  my  pretty  Arthur  more. 

CIRCUMFLEX   INFLECTION. 

1.  Were  I  in  England  now  (as  once  I  was),  and  had  but 
this  fish  painted,  not  a  holiday-fool  there  but  would  give  a 
piece  of  silver.  There  would  this  monster  make  a  man  :  any 
strange  beast  there  makes  a  man.  When  they  will  not  give 
a  doit  to  relieve  a  lame  beggar,  they  will  lay  out  ten  to  see 
a  dead  Indian. 

2.  If  to  do  were  as  easy  as  to  know  what  were  good  to 
lo,  chapels  had  been  churches,  and  poor  men's   cottages 


48  ELOCUTION. 

princes'  palaces.  It  is  a  good  divine  that  follows  his  own 
instructions.  I  can  easier  teach  twenty  what  were  good  to 
be  done  than  be  one  of  the  twenty  to  follow  mine  own 
teaching.  The  brain  may  devise  laws  for  the  blood  ;  but  a 
hot  temper  leaps  over  a  cold  decree :  such  a  hare  is  mad- 
ness the  youth  to  skip  o'er  the  meshes  of  good  counsel  the 
cripple. 

3.        "  Hold,  there  !  "  the  other  quick  replies : 
"  'Tis  green  :  I  saw  it  with  these  eyes, 
As  late  with  open  mouth  it  lay, 
And  warmed  it  in  the  sunny  ray. 
Stretched  at  its  ease,  the  beast  I  viewed, 
And  saw  it  eat  the  air  for  food.*' 

"  I've  seen  it,  sir,  as  well  as  you, 
And  must  again  affirm  it  blue  : 
At  leisure  I  the  beast  surveyed, 
Extended  in  the  cooling  shade." 

"  'Tis  green,  'tis  green,  sir,  I  assure  ye  I  '* 
"  Green  !  "  cries  the  other  in  a  fury : 
"  Why,  sir  !    d'ye  think  I've  lost  my  eyes?  " 
"  'Twere  no  great  loss,"  the  friend  replies ; 
"  For,  if  they  always  serve  you  thus, 
You'll  find  them  of  but  little  use." 

MONOTONE. 

1.   When  for  me  the  silent  oar 

Parts  the  Silent  River, 
And  I  stand  upon  the  shore 

Of  the  strange  Forever, 
Shall  I  miss  the  loved  and  known  ? 
Shall  I  vainly  seek  mine  own  ? 

2.  Ye  golden  lamps  of  heaven,  farewell,  with  all  your 

feeble  light ! 
Farewell,  thou  ever-changing  moon,  pale  empress  of 

the  night ! 
And  thou,  effulgent  orb  of  day,  in  brighter  flames 

arrayed. 
My  soul,  which  springs  beyond  thy  sphere,  no  more 

demands  thy  aid. 
Ye  stars  are  but  the  shining  dust  of  my  divine  abode, 
The  pavement  of  those  heavenly  courts  where  I  shall 

reigu  with  God. 


ELOCUTION.  49 

o.  P"ather  of  earth  and  heaven,  I  call  thy  name ! 
Round  me  the  smoke  and  shout  of  battle  roll ; 
My  eyes  are  dazzled  with  the  rustling  flame  : 
Father,  sustain  an  untried  soldier's  soul. 
Or  life  or  death,  whatever  be  the  goal 
That  crowns  or  closes  round  this  struggling  hour, 
Thou  know'st,  if  ever  from  my  spirit  stole 
One  deeper  prayer,  'twas  that  no  cloud  might  lower 
On  my  young  fame.     Oh,  hear,  God  of  eternal  power  I 

PITCH. 

The  general  pitch  of  voice  varies  with  the  emotion.  Some 
feelings  we  are  prompted  to  express  in  the  high  tones,  as 
joy  ;  some  in  the  lower  tones,  as  awe  :  but,  without  practice, 
very  few  have  command  of  the  higher  and  lower  tones;  and, 
when  they  attempt  to  read,  the^^  cannot  give  the  requisite 
variety  to  make  it  expressive.  It  is  important  that  these 
exercises  should  be  studied  until  you  can  as  easily  read  in 
3'our  highest  and  lowest  tones  as  in  your  natural  conversa- 
tional or  middle  tones. 

In  high  pitch,  read  in  as  high  pitch  as  you  can,  and  at  the 
same  time  keep  the  tone  pure,  and  you  will  find  your  voice 
gradually  gain  in  compass. 

In  middle  pitch,  read  in  your  conversational  tone,  with 
earnestness. 

In  low  pitch,  read  somewhat  lower  than  middle  pitch, 
and  make  as  full  a  tone  as  you  can. 

In  very  low  pitch,  read  as  low  in  pitch  as  you  can  with 
ease,  and  do  not  try  to  make  it  loud  or  full  until  you  have 
had  considerable  practice.  Don't  pinch  or  strain  the  throat: 
if  you  do,  the  quality  will  be  bad. 

HIGH   PITCH. 

1.   Merrily  swinging  on  brier  and  weed, 
Near  to  the  nest  of  his  little  dame, 
Over  the  mountain-side  or  mead, 
Robert  of  Lincoln  is  telling  his  name,— 
Bob-o-link,  bob-o-link, 
Spink,  spank,  spink  I 
Snug  and  safe  is  that  nest  of  curs 
Hidden  among  the  summer  flow^ers : 
Ohee,  chee,  chee  I 


50  ELOCUTION. 

2.    Oh  !  did  you  see  him  riding  down, 
And  riding  down,  while  all  the  town 
Came  out  to  see,  came  out  to  see. 
And  all  the  bells  rang  mad  with  glee? 

Oh  !  did  you  hear  those  bells  ring  out, 
The  bells  ring  out,  the  people  shout  ? 
And  did  you  hear  that  cheer  on  cheer 
That  over  all  the  bells  rang  clear  ? 

8.   I  am  that  merry  wanderer  of  the  night: 
I  jest  to  Oberon,  and  make  him  smile, 
When  1,  a  fat  and  bean-fed  horse,  beguile, 
Neighing  in  likeness  of  a  silly  foal. 
And  sometimes  lurk  I  in  a  gossip's  bowl, 
In  very  likeness  of  a  roasted  crab  ; 
And,  when  she  drinks,  against  her  lips  I  bob, 
And  on  her  withered  dew-lap  pour  the  ale. 

MIDDLE   PITCH. 

1.   The  honey-bee  that  wanders  all  day  long 
The  field,  the  woodland,  and  the  garden  o'er, 
To  gather  in  his  fragrant  winter-store. 
Humming  in  calm  content  his  quiet  song, 
Sucks  not  alone  the  rose's  glowing  breast. 
The  lily's  dainty  cup,  the  violet's  lips ; 
But  from  all  rank  and  noisome  weeds  he  sips 
The  single  drop  of  sweetness  ever  pressed 
Within  the  poison  chalice.     Thus,  if  we 
Seek  only  to  draw  forth  the  hidden  sweet 
In  all  the  varied  human  flow  ers  we  meet 
In  the  wide  garden  of  Humanity, 
And,  like  the  bee,  if  home  the  spoil  we  bear, 
Hived  in  our  hearts,  it  turns  to  nectar  there. 

2.  Now  the  laughing,  jolly  Spring  began  to  show  her 
buxom  face  in  the  bright  morning.  The  buds  began  slowly 
to  expand  their  close  winter  folds,  the  dark  and  melancholy 
•  woods  to  assume  an  almost  imperceptible  purple  tint ;  and 
here  and  there  a  little  chirping  blue-bird  hopped  about  the 
orchards.  Strips  of  fresh  green  appeared  along  the  brooks, 
now  released  from  their  icy  fetters ;    and  nests  of   little 


ELOCUTION.  51 

variegated  flowers,  nameless,  yet  richly  deserving  a  name, 
sprang  up  in  the  sheltered  recesses  of  the  leafless  woods. 

3.  1  know,  the  more  one  sickens,  the  worse  at  ease  he  is; 
and  that  he  that  wants  money,  means,  and  content,  is  with- 
out three  good  friends;  that  the  property  of  rain  is  to 
wet,  and  fire  to  burn ;  that  good  pasture  makes  fat  sheep, 
and  that  a  great  cause  of  the  night  is  lack  of -the  sun; 
that  he  that  hath  learned  no  wit  by  nature  or  art  may 
complain  of  good  breeding,  or  comes  of  a  very  dull  kindred. 

LOW   PITCH. 

1.   Mid  the  flower-wreathed  tombs  I  stand, 
Bearing  lilies  in  my  hand. 
Comrades,  in  what  soldier^grave 
Sleeps  the  bravest  of  the  brave  ? 

Is  it  he  who  sank  to  rest 
With  his  colors  round  his  breast  ? 
Friendship  makes  his  tomb  a  shrine : 
Garlands  veil  it ;  ask  not  mine. 

2.  God,  thou  art  merciful.     The  wintry  storm, 
The  cloud  that  pours  the  thunder  from  its  womb, 
But  show  the  sterner  grandeur  of  thy  form. 

The  lightnings  glancing  through  the  midnight  gloom, 
To  Faith's  raised  eye  as  calm,  as  lovely,  come 
As  splendors  of  the  autumnal  evening  star, 
As  roses  shaken  by  the  breeze's  plume, 
When  like  cool  incense  comes  the  dewy  air, 
And  on  the  golden  wave  the  sunset  burns  afar. 

3.  O  thou  Eternal  One  !  whose  presence  bright 
All  space  doth  occupy,  all  motion  guide ; 
Unchanged  through  Time's  all-devastating  flight; 
Thou  only  God  !  —  there  is  no  God  beside  ! 
Being  above  all  beings  !  Three-in-one  ! 

Whom  none  can  comprehend,  and  none  explore  ; 
Who  fill'st  existence  with  Thyself  alone ; 
Embracing  all,  supporting,  ruling  o'er; 
Being  whom  we  call  God,  and  know  no  more  1 


52  ELOCUTION. 


VERY   LOW   PITCH. 

1.    When  in  the  silent  night  all  earth  lies  hushed 
In  slumber ;  when  the  glorious  stars  shine  out, 
Each  star  a  sun,  each  sun  a  central  light 
Of  some  fair  system,  ever  wheeling  on 
In  one  unbroken  round,  and  that  again 
Revolving  round  another  sun ;  while  all, 
Suns,  stars,  and  systems,  proudly  roll  along 
]n  one  majestic,  ever-onward  course, 
In  space  uncircumscribed  and  limitless,  — 
Oh !  think  you  then  the  undebased  soul 
Can  calmly  give  itself  to  sleep,  —  to  rest? 

2.  Go  stand  upon  the  heights  at  Niagara,  and  listen  in 
awe-struck  silence  to  that  boldest,  most  earnest  and  elo- 
quent, of  all  Nature's  orators  !  And  what  is  Niagara,  with 
its  plunging  waters  and  its  mighty  roar,  but  the  oracle  of 
God,  the  whisper  of  His  voice  who  is  revealed  in  the  Bible 
as  sitting  above  the  water-floods  forever  ? 

3.  The  drums  are  all  muffled ;  the  bugles  are  still ; 
There's  a  pause  in  the  valley,  a  halt  on  the  hill ; 
And  the  bearers  of  standards  swerve  back  with  a  thrill 

Where  the  sheaves  of  the  dead  bar  the  way : 
For  a  great  field  is  reaped,  heaven's  garners  to  fill ; 
And  stern  Death  holds  his  harvest  to-day. 

QUALITY. 

As  therfe  are  all  kinds  and  qualities  of  emotions,  so  there 
are  all  kinds  and  qualities  of  voice  to  express  them.  The 
shade  and  varieties  of  these  qualities  are  as  infinite  in  num- 
ber as  the  emotions  they  express.  We  need,  however,  ii^ 
practice,  to  make  but  four  general  divisions, — whisper,  aspi 
rate,  pure,  and  orotund.  The  whisper  expresses  secrecy^ 
fear,  and  like  emotions.  It  is  seldom  required  in  readings 
as  the  aspirate  is  expressive  of  the  same,  and  you  would  bs 
likely  to  use  that  instead  of  whisper.  You  should  practise 
the  whisper  until  you  can  make  it  very  clear,  and  free  from 
all  impurity,  or  sound  of  throat,  and  full,  so  as  to  be  heard 
at  a  distance.  In  both  whisper  and  aspirate  leave  the  throat 
free  and  open  ;  and  be  energetic,  remembering  that  force  is 


ELOCUTION.  53 

made  by  control  of  muscles  at  the  waist,  and  not  by  effort 
of  throat  or  mouth.  'J'he  clearer  you  can  make  a  whisper, 
the  better  quality  you  can  make  in  pure  and  orotmid.  Pure 
tone  or  quality  is  sound  made  with  no  disagreeable  quality 
being  heard ;  and  is  the  same  as  pleasant  quality,  spoken  of 
as  being  necessary  to  make  listeners.  Pure  quality  is  made 
with  ease,  with  no  waste  of  breath,  and  is  used  for  expres- 
sion of  agreeable  feelings.  Orotund  is  a  magnified,  pure 
tone,  and  adds  richness  and  power  to  the  voice  in  speech.  It 
is  the  expression  of  intense  feelings,  usually  slow  in  move- 
ment, as  grandeur,  sublimity,  awe,  &c.  It  can  only  be  ob- 
tained by  much  practice  and  much  patience,  allowing  the 
voice  to  grow  in  fulness,  as  it  will  in  time,  if  practice  con- 
tinues. 


Deep  stillness  fell  on  all  around  : 
Through  that  dense  crowd  was  heard  no  sound 
Of  step  or  word. 

How  dark  it  is !     I  cannot  seem  to  see 
The  faces  of  my  flock.     Is  that  the  sea 
That  murmurs  so  ?  or  is  it  weeping  ?     Hush, 
My  little  children !     God  so  loved  the  world. 
He  gave  his  Son  :  so  love  ye  one  another. 
Love  God  and  man.     Amen  ! 

Hush  !  'tis  a  holy  hour !    The  quiet  room 

Seems  like  a  temple ;  while  yon  soft  lamp  sheds 

A  faint  and  starry  radiance  through  the  gloom 

And  the  sweet  stillness  down  on  bright  young  heads, 

With  all  their  clustering  locks  untouched  by  care, 

And  bowed,  as  flowers  are  bowed  with  night,  in  prayer. 

ASPIRATE. 

1.    Hush  !  draw  the  curtain,  —  so ! 
She  is  dead,  quite  dead,  you  see. 
Poor  little  lady !     She  lies 
With  the  light  gone  out  of  her  eyes ; 
But  her  features  still  wear  that  soft, 
Gray,  meditative  expression 
Which  you  must  have  noticed  oft. 


^4  ELOCUTION. 

2.    Lord  of  the  winds  !  I  feel  thee  nigh ; 
I  know  thy  breath  in  the  burning  sky ; 
And  I  wait  with  a  thrill  in  every  vein 
For  the  coming  of  the  hurricane. 
And,  lo !  on  the  wing  of  the  heavy  gales, 
Through  the  boundless  arch  of  heaven,  he  sails : 
Silent  and  slow,  and  terribly  strong, 
The  mighty  shadow  is  borne  along, 
Like  the  dark  eternity  to  come; 
While  the  world  below,  dismayed  and  dumb, 
Through  the  calm  of  the  thick  hot  atmosphere 
Looks  up  at  its  gloomy  folds  with  fear. 

3.    'Tis  midnight's  holy  hour;  and  silence  now 
Is  brooding  like  a  gentle  spirit  o'er 
The  still  and  pulseless  world.     Hark  !  on  the  winds 
The  bell's  deep  tones  are  swelling :  'tis  the  knell 
Of  the  departed  year.     No  funeral  train 
Is  sweeping  past :  yet  on  the  stream  and  wood, 
With  melancholy  light,  the  moonbeams  rest 
Like  a  pale,  spotless  shroud  ;  the  air  is  stirred 
As  by  a  mourner's  sigh ;  and  on  yon  cloud. 
That  floats  so  still  and  placidly  through  heaven, 
The  spirits  of  the  seasons  seem  to  stand,  — 
Young  Spring,  bright  Summer,  Autumn's  solemi;i  f orm^ 
And  Winter  with  its  aged  locks,  —  and  breathe, 
In  mournful  cadences  that  come  abroad 
Like  the  far  wind-harp's  wild  and  touching  wail, 
A  melancholy  dirge  o'er  the  dead  year, 
Gone  from  the  earth  forever. 


i.   Your  voiceless  lips,  O  flowers  !   are  living  preachers, 
Each  cup  a  pulpit,  and  each  leaf  a  book. 
Supplying  to  my  fancy  numerous  teachers 
In  loneliest  nook. 

2.    Ring  out,  wild  bells,  to  the  wild  sky, 
The  flying  cloud,  the  frosty  light; 
The  year  is  dying  in  the  nic^ht : 
Ring  oiit,  wild  bells,  and  let  him  die. 


ELOCUTION,  55 

Ring  out  the  old  ;  ring  in  the  new ; 

Ring,  happy  bells,  across  the  snow: 

The  year  is  going ;  let  him  go  : 
Ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the  true. 

0.  Was  it  the  chime  of  a  tiny  bell 

That  came  so  sweet  to  my  dreaming  ear, 
Like  the  silvery  tones  of  a  fairy's  shell. 

That  he  winds  on  the  beach,  so  mellow  and  clear. 
When  the  winds  and  the  waves  lie  together  asleep. 
And  the  moon  and  the  fairy  are  watching  the  deep,  — 
She  dispensing  her  silvery  light, 
And  he  his  notes  as  silvery  quite,  — 
While  the  boatman  listens,  and  ships  his  oar, 
To  catch  the  music  that  comes  from  the  shore  ? 
Hark  !  the  notes  on  my  ear  that  play 
Are  set  to  words  :  as  they  float,  they  say, 
"  Passing  away,  passing  away  !  " 

OROTUXD. 

1.  Approach  and  behold  while  I  lift  from  his  sepulchre 
its  covering.  Ye  admirers  of  his  greatness,  ye  emulous  of 
his  talents  and  his  fame,  approach,  and  behold  him  now. 
How  pale !  how  silent !  No  martial  bands  admire  the  adroit- 
ness of  his  movements,  no  fascinating  throng  weep  and  melt 
and  tremble  at  his  eloquence.  Amazing  change  !  A  shroud, 
a  coffin,  a  narrow  subterraneous  cabin,  —  this  is  all  that  now 
remains  of  Hamilton.  And  is  this  all  that  remains  of  him  ? 
During  a  life  so  transitory,  what  lasting  monument,  then, 
can  our  fondest  hopes  erect ! 

2.  A  seraph  by  the  throne 

In  the  full  glory  stood.     With  eager  hand 
He  smote  the  golden  harp-strings,  till  a  flood 
Of  harmony  on  the  celestial  air 
Welled  forth  unceasing  :  then  with  a  great  voice 
He  sang  the  "  Holy,  holy,  evermore. 
Lord  God  Almighty  ! "  and  the  eternal  courts 
Thrilled  with  the  rapture  ;  and  the  hierarchies, 
Angel  and  rapt  archangel,  throbbed  and  burned 
With  vehement  adoration.     Higher  yet 


56  ELOCUTION. 

Rose  the  majestic  anthem  without  pause,  — 
Higher,  with  rich  magnificence  of  sound. 
To  its  full  strength ;  and  still  the  infinite  heavens 
Rang  with  the  "  Holy,  holy,  evermore ! " 

3.   God,  thou  art  mighty.     At  thy  footstool  bound. 
Lie,  gazing  to  thee,  Chance  and  Life  and  Death. 
Nor  in  the  angel-circle  flaming  round. 
Nor  in  the  million  worlds  that  blaze  beneath. 
Is  one  that  can  withstand  thy  wrath's  hot  breath. 
Woe  in  thy  frown  ;  in  thy  smile  victory. 
Hear  my  last  prayer.     I  ask  no  mortal  wreath  : 
Let  but  these  eyes  my  rescued  country  see ; 
Then  take  my  spirit,  All-Omnipotent,  to  thee. 

For  examples  of  pure  tone,  see  "  Reading  Club,"  No.  1,  pag*^s 
51  and  82;  No.  2,  page  G3;  No.  3,  pages  11,  49;  No.  4,  pages  29,  3G, 
81. 

For  orotund,  No.  1,  page  42;  No.  2,  page  64;  No.  3,  page  25* 
No.  4,  page  61. 

MOVEMENT. 

By  different  emotions  you  are  promj)ted  to  speak  words  in 
quick  or  slow  utterance,  as  in  joy  or  anger  you  would  be 
prompted  to  utter  words  quickly;  while  in  majesty,  sublim- 
ity, awe,  you  would  speak  slowly.  You  should  practise 
movement,  that  you  may  be  able  to  read  rapidly  and  with 
perfect  articulation,  and  also  to  read  slowly  with  proper 
phrasing.  In  quick  movement,  read  as  fast  as  you  can  with 
proper  articulation,  phrasing,  and  emphasis.  In  moderate 
movement,  read  as  in  ordinary  earnest  conversation.  In  slow 
and  very  slow  movement,  phrase  well,  as  in  these  the  em- 
phatic words  have  the  longest  time  given  to  them,  the 
secondarily  emphatic  ones  less  time,  and  the  connecting 
words  the  least  time  ;  and  it  is  a  great  art  to  proportion  them 
rightly.     If  you  do  not  do  the  latter,  you  will  drawl. 

QUICK    MOVEMENT. 

1.    Boot,  saddle,  to  horse,  and  away! 
Rescue  my  castle  before  the  hot  day 
Brightens  to  blue  from  its  silvery  gray: 
Boot,  saddle,  to  horse,  and  away ! 


ELOCUTION.  57 

2.    But  hark  !  above  the  beating  of  the  storm 
Peals  on  the  startled  ear  the  fire-alarm. 
Yon  gloomy  heaven's  aflame  with  sudden  light ; 
And  heart-beats  quicken  with  a  strange  affright. 
Fi'om  tranquil  slumber  springs,  at  duty's  call, 
The  ready  friend  no  danger  can  appall : 
Fierce  for  the  conflict,  sturdy,  true,  and  brave, 
He  hurries  forth  to  battle  and  to  save. 

8.       After  him  came,  spurring  hard, 

A  gentleman  almost  forespent  with  speed. 
That  stopped  by  me  to  breathe  his  bloodied  horse. 
He  asked  the  way  to  Chester ;  and  of  him 
I  did  demand  what  news  from  Shrewsbury. 
He  told  me  that  rebellion  had  bad  luck. 
And  that  young  Harry  Percy's  spur  was  cold: 
With  that  he  gave  his  able  horse  the  head, 
And,  bending  forward,  struck  his  armed  heels 
Against  the  panting  sides  of  his  poor  jade 
Up  to  the  rowel-head ;  and,  starting  so. 
He  seemed,  in  running,  to  devour  the  way, 
Staying  no  longer  question. 

MODERATE    MOVEMENT. 

1.  Yes,  Tom's  the  best  fellow  that  ever  you  knew. 

Just  listen  to  this  :  — 
When   the   old  mill  took   fire,  and  the   flooring  fell 

through. 
And  I  with  it,  helpless  there,  full  in  my  view 
What  do  you  think  my  eyes  saw  through  the  fire, 
That  crept  along,  crept  along,  nigher  and  nigher. 
But  Robin,  my  baby-boy,  laughing  to  see 
The  shining?     He  must  have  come  there  after  me, 
Troddled  alone  from  the  cottage. 

2.  Oratory,  as  it  consists  in  the  expression  of  the  coun- 
tenance, graces  of  attitude  and  motion,  and  intonation  of 
voice,  although  it  is  altogether  superficial  and  ornamental, 
will  always  command  admiration  ;  yet  it  deserves  little  ven- 
eration. Flashes  of  wit,  coruscations  of  imagination,  and 
gay  pictures,  ^  what  are  theyV  Strict  truth,  rapid  reason, 
and  pure  integrity,  are  the  only  essential  ingredients  in 
oratory.  I  flatter  myself  that  Demosthenes,  by  his  "action, 
action,  action,"  meant  to  express  the  same  opinion. 


58  ELOCUTION. 

3.    Waken,  voice  of  the  land's  devotion! 
Spirit  of  freedom,  awaken  all ! 
Ring,  ye  shores,  to  the  song  of  ocean  ! 

Rivers,  answer  !  and,  mountains,  call ! 
The  golden  day  has  come  : 
Let  every  tongue  be  dumb 
That  sounded  its  m.alice,  or  murmured  its  fears. 
She  hath  won  her  story ; 
She  wears  her  glory  : 
We  crown  her  the  land  of  a  hundred  years! 

SLOW   MOVEMENT. 

1.  Within  this  sober  realm  of  leafless  trees 

The  russet  year  inhaled  the  dreamy  air, 
Like  some  tanned  reaper  in  his  hour  of  ease 
When  all  the  fields  are  lying  brown  and  bare. 

2.  As  some  tall  cliff  that  lifts  its  awful  form, 

Swells  from  the  vale,  and  midway  leaves  the  storm, 
Though  round  its  breast  the  rolling  clouds  are  spread, 
Eternal  sunshine  settles  on  its  head. 

^.    Father,  guide  me !     Day  declines  ; 
Hollow  winds  are  in  the  pines ; 
Darkly  waves  each  giant  bough 
O'er  the  sky's  last  crimson  glow; 
Hushed  is  now  the  convent's  bell, 
Which  erewhile,  with  breezy  swell, 
From  the  purple  mountains  bore 
Greeting  to  the  sunset  shore  ; 
Now  the  sailor's  vesper-hymn 

Dies  aw^ay. 
Father,  in  the  forest  dim 

Be  my  stay ! 

VERY   SLOW   MOVEMENT. 

1.   Toll,  toll,  toll. 

Thou  bell  by  billows  swung ! 
And  night  and  day  thy  warning  words 

Repeat  with  mournful  tongue  I 
Toll  for  the  queenly  boat 

Wrecked  on  yon  rocky  shore : 
Seaw^eed  is  in  her  palace-halls  ; 

She  rides  the  surge  no  more. 


ELOCUTION.  59 

2.  Now  o'er  the  drowsy  earth  still  night  prevails ; 
Calm  sleep  the  mountain-tops  and  shady  vales, 
The  rugged  cliffs  and  hollow  glens. 

The  wild  beasts  slumber  in  their  dens, 

The  cattle  on  the  hill.     Deep  in  the  sea 

The  countless  finny  race  and  monster  brood 

Tranquil  repose.     Even  the  busy  bee 

Forgets  her  daily  toil.     The  silent  wood 

No  more  with  noisy  form  of  insect  rings  ; 

And  all  the  feathered  tribes,  by  gentle  sleep  subdued, 

Roost  in  the  glade,  and  hang  their  drooping  wings. 

3.  My  Father,  God,  lead  on  ! 
Calmly  I  follow  where  thy  guiding  hand 
Directs  my  steps.     I  would  not  trembling  stand. 

Though  all  before  the  way 
Is  dark  as  night :  I  stay 
My  soul  on  thee,  and  say, 
Father,  I  trust  thy  love  :  lead  on  ! 

FORCE. 

Every  emotion  which  you  hav^you  feel  more  or  less  in* 
tensely,  and  that  intensity  is  expressed  through  the  force 
of  the  voice.  The  degree  of  force  with  which  you  speak 
will  be  according  to  the  degree  of  intensity  of  emotion ;  and 
even  in  the  gentlest  tone  you  ca^  express  as  forcibly  as  in 
the  loudest.  According  to  your  strength  of  bod}'  and  mind, 
and  intensity  of  feeling,  you  have  been  accustomed  to  ex- 
press in  a  strong  or  feeble  voice.  Force  needs  to  be  prac- 
tised to  enable  you  to  fill  a  large  hall  with  your  gentlest 
tone,  and  to  make  very  loud  tones  without  straining  of 
throat.  In  gentle  force,  sustain  the  breath  well,  as  in  fulness 
and  power,  observing  directions  there  given;  and  make  your 
tone  soft  and  pure.  In  moderate  force,  be  as  energetic  as  in 
earnest  conversation.  In  loud  and  very  loud  force,  observe 
directions  under  "  Fulness  and  Power." 

GENTLE    FORCE. 

1.    A  noise  as  of  a  hidden  brook 
In  the  leafy  month  of  June, 
That  to  the  sleeping  woods  all  night 

Singeth  a  quiet  tune.  * 


60  ELOCUTION. 

2.  O  blithe  new-comer !  I  have  heard, 

I  hear  thee,  and  rejoice: 
O  cuckoo !  shall  I  call  thee  bird, 
Or  but  a  wandering  voice? 

Thrice  welcome,  darling  of  the  spring! 

Even  yet  thou  art  to  me 
ISTo  bird,  but  an  invisible  thing, 

A  voice,  a  mystery. 

3.  Around  this  lovely  valley  rise 
The  purple  hills  of  Paradise ; 
Oh !  softly  on  yon  banks  of  haze 
Her  rosy  face  the  Summer  lays ; 
Becalmed  along  the  azure  sky 
The  argosies  of  Cloud-land  lie, 
Whose  shores,  with  many  a  shining  rift, 
Far  off  their  pearl-white  peaks  uplift. 

MODERATE    FORCE. 

1.   Robert  of  Lincoln  is  gayly  dressed. 

Wearing  a  bright  black  wedding-coat : 
White  are  his  shoulders,  and  white  his  crest. 
Hear  him  call,  in  his  merry  note, 
Bob-o-link,  bob-o-link, 
Spink,  spank,  spink! 
Look,  what  a  nice  new  coat  is  mine! 
Sure  there  was  never  a  bird  so  fine. 
Chee,  chee,  chee! 

2.  O  young  men  and  women !  there  is  no  picture  of  ideal 
excellence  of  manhood  and  womanhood  that  I  ever  draw 
that  seems  too  high,  too  beautiful,  for  your  young  hearts. 
What  aspirations  there  are  for  the  good,  the  true,  the  fair, 
and  the  holy  I  The  instinctive  affections  —  how  beautiful 
they  are,  with  all  their  purple  prophecy  of  new  homes  and 
generations  of  immortals  that  are  yet  to  be !  The  high 
instincts  of  reason,  of  conscience,  of  love,  of  religion,  — 
how  beautiful  and  grand  they  are  in  the  young  heart ! 

3.    She  was  a  darling  little  thing  : 
I  worshipped  her  outright. 
When  in  my  arms  she  smiling  lay ; 
When  on  my  knees  she  climbed  in  play; 


ELOCUTION.  61 

When  round  my  neck  her  arms  would  cling, 
As  crooning  songs  I  used  to  sing ; 
When  on  my  back  she  gayly  rode, 
Then  strong  beneath  its  precious  load; 
When  at  my  side,  in  summer  days. 
She  gambolled  in  her  childish  plays ; 
When,  throughout  all  the  after-years, 
I  watched  with  trembling  hopes  and  fears 
The  infant  to  a  woman  grow,  — 
I  worshipped  then,  as  I  do  now, 
My  life's  delight. 

LOUD    FORCE. 

1.  Hark  to  the  bugle's  roundelay! 
Boot  and  saddle!     Up  and  away! 
Mount  and  ride  as  ye  ne'er  rode  before; 
Spur  till  your  horses'  flanks  run  gore; 
Ride  for  the  sake  of  human  lives ; 

Ride  as  ye  would  were  your  sisters  and  wives 
Cowering  under  their  scalping-knives. 
Boot  and  saddle !     Away,  away ! 

2.  News  of  battle !  news  of  battle ! 

Hark !  'tis  ringing  down  the  street, 
And  the  archways  and  the  pavement 

Bear  the  clang  of  hurrying  feet. 
News  of  battle !  —  who  hath  brought  it? 

•News  of  triumph!  —  who  should  biing 
Tidings  from  our  noble  army. 

Greetings  from  our  gallant  king  I 

3.  And,  lo!  from  the  assembled  crowd 
There  rose  a  shout,  prolonged  and  loud, 
That  to  the  ocean  seemed  to  say, 

^*  Take  her,  O  bridegroom  old  and  gray! 

Take  her  to  thy  protecting  arms. 

With  all  her  youth  and  all  her  charms." 

VERY   LOUD    FORCE. 

1.    **  Now,  men !  now  is  your  time !  " 
'*  Make  ready!  take  aim!  fire!  '* 


62  ELOCUTION. 

2.    Up  the  hillside,  down  the  glen, 
Rouse  the  sleeping  citizen, 
Summon  out  the  might  of  men ! 
Clang  the  bells  in  all  your  spires ! 
On  the  gray  hills  of  your  sires 
Fling  to  heaven  your  signal-fires ! 
Oh,  for  God  and  Duty  stand, 
Heart  to  heart,  and  hand  to  hand. 
Round  the  old  graves  of  your  land  / 

3.   Now  for  the  fight!  now  for  the  cannon-peal! 

Forward,  through  blood  and  toil  and  cloud  and  fire! 
Glorious  the  shout,  the  shock,  the  crash  of  steel, 
The  volley's  roll,  the  rocket's  blasting  spire! 
They  shake ;  like  broken  waves  their  squares  retire. 
On  them,  hussars!     Now  give  them  rein  and  heel! 
Think  of  the  orphaned  child,  the  murdered  sire  I 
Earth  cries  for  blood.     In  thunder  on  them  wheel! 
This  hour  to  Europe's  fate  shall  set  the  triumph  seal. 

STRESS. 

In  expressing  your  emotions,  the  voice  is  ejected  in  various 
ways;  perhaps  in  a  jerky  or  trembling  or  flowing  manner, 
as  may  be,  depending  on  the  kind  of  emotion  you  feel. 
This  is  called  "  Stress; "  and  you  have  learned  how,  mechani- 
cally, to  make  it.  Radical  Stress  is  used  when  you  try  to 
impress  upon  others  your  exact  meaning.  Practise  it  with 
that  thought  in  your  mind.  Median  Stress  is  used  in 
appeal  to  the  best  affections,  and  expresses  agreeable  emo- 
tions. The  swell  comes  on  emphatic  w^ords.  Terminal 
Stress  is  used  in  expressions  of  anger,  petulance,  impa- 
tience, and  the  like.  Thorough  Stress  is  used  in  calling  to 
persons  at  a  long  distance,  but  has  little  place  in  expression. 
It  is  frequently  substituted  by  bad  readers  or  speakers  for 
Median  or  Terminal  Stress.  Compound  Stress  is  used  in 
strong  passion ;  and  being  a  compound  of  Radical  and  Ter- 
minal Stress,  and  used  with  circumflex  inflections,  it  com- 
bines the  meaning  of  them  all,  as  sarcasm,  irony,  &c., 
mixed  with  anger,  impatience,  doubt,  &c.  Tremolo  Stress 
is  used  in  excessive  emotion;  as  joy,  anger,  sorrow,  in 
excess,  would  cause  the  voice  to  tremble.  You  should  prac- 
tise this  in  order  to  avoid  it,  as,  when  Tremolo  does  not 


ELOCUTION.  63 

proceed  from  real  excess  of  feeling,  it  has  a  very  ludicrous 
effect.  Practise  the  following  exercises  by  thinking  and 
feeling  the  idea  and  emotion. 

RADICAL    STRESS. 

1.  Hark,  hark!  the  lark  sings  mid  the  silvery  blue: 
Behold  her  flight,  proud  man,  and  lowly  bow. 

2.  There  is  the  act  of  utterance,  a  condition  that  exists 
between  you  and  myself.  I  speak,  and  you  hear;  but  how? 
The  words  issue  from  my  lips,  and  reach  your  ears;  but 
what  are  those  words?  Volumes  of  force  communicated  to 
the  atmosphere,  whose  elastic  waves  carry  them  to  fine 
recipients  in  your  own  organism.  But  still  I  ask.  How? 
How  is  it  that  these  volumes  of  sound  should  convey  articu- 
late meaning,-  and  carry  ideas  from  my  mind  into  your  own? 

3.  I  call  upon  you,  fathers,  by  the  shades  of  your  ances- 
tors, by  the  dear  ashes  which  repose  in  this  precious  soil,  by 
all  you  are  and  all  you  hope  to  be,  — resist  every  object  of 
disunion ;  resist  every  encroachment  upon  your  liberties ;  re- 
sist every  attempt  to  fetter  your  consciences,  or  smother 
your  public  schools,  or  extinguish  your  system  of  public 
instruction. 

MEDIAN   STRESS. 

1.  The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof; 
The  world,  and  they  that  dwell  therein: 

For  he  hath  founded  it  upon  the  seas, 
And  established  it  upon  the  floods. 

2.  Oh  divine,  oh  delightful  legacy  of  a  spotless  reputa- 
tion! Rich  is  the  inheritance  it  leaves;  pious  the  example  it 
testifies;  pure,  precious,  and  imperishable  the  hope  which 
it  inspires.  Can  there  be  conceived  a  more  atrocious  injury 
than  to  filch  from  its  possessor  this  inestimable  benefit ;  to 
rob  society  of  its  charm,  and  solitude  of  its  solace ;  not  only 
to  outlaw  life,  but  to  attaint  death,  converting  the  very 
gi*ave,  the  refuge  of  the  sufferer,  into  the  gate  of  infamy 
and  of  shame? 

3.   How  sleep  the  brave  who  sink  to  rest 
With  all  their  country's  wishes  blest! 


64  ELOCUTION. 

When  Spring,  with  dewy  fingers  cold, 
Returns  to  deck  their  hallowed  mould, 
It  there  shall  dress  a  sweeter  sod 
Than  blooming  Fancy  ever  trod. 
By  fairy  hands  their  knell  is  rung; 
By  forms  unseen  their  dirge  is  sung: 
There  Honor  walks,  a  pilgrim  gray, 
To  deck  the  turf  that  wraps  their  clay; 
And  Freedom  shall  a  while  repair 
To  dwell  a  weeping  hermit  there. 


TERMINAL    STRESS. 

1.  I'll  have  my  bond;  I  will  not  hear  thee  speak: 
I'll  have  my  bond;  and  therefore  speak  no  more: 
I'll  not  be  made  a  soft  and  dull-eyed  fool, 

To  shake  the  head,  relent,  and  sigh,  and  yield 
To  Christian  intercessors. 

2.  K'  r  sleep  nor  sanctuary, 

B(  mg  naked,  sick,  nor  fane  nor  capitol, 
Tb^.  prayers  of  priests,  nor  times  of  sacrifice, 
Einbarkments  all  of  fury,  shall  lift  up 
Their  rotten  privilege  and  custom  'gainst 
My  hate  to  Marcius:  where  I  find  him,  were  it 
At  home  upon  my  brother's  guard,  — even  there, 
Against  the  hospitable  cannon,  would  I 
Wash  my  fierce  hand  in  his  heart 

3.  A  plague  upon  them !    AVherefore  should  I  curse  themf 
Would  curses  kill,  as  doth  the  mandrake's  groan, 

I  would  invent  as  bitter-searching  terms. 
As  curst,  as  harsh,  and  horrible  to  hear, 
Delivered  strongly  through  my  fix^d  teeth. 
With  full  as  many  signs  of  deadly  hate, 
As  lean-faced  Envy  in  her  loathsome  cave : 
My  tongue  should  stumble  in  mine  earnest  words; 
M  ine  eyes  should  sparkle  like  the  beaten  flint ; 
My  hair  be  fixed  on  end,  as  one  distract; 
Ay,  every  joint  should  seem  to  curse  and  ban; 
Aid  even  now  my  burdened  heart  would  breakj 
Should  I  not  curse  them. 


ELOCUTION.  65 


THOROUGH    STRESS. 

1.  •*  Ho,  Starbuck  and  Pickney  and  Tenterden! 

Run  for  yom*  shallops,  gather  your  men. 
Scatter  your  boats  on  the  lower  bay  I  " 

2,  '*  Run!  run  for  your  lives,  high  up  on  the  land! 
Away,  men  and  children!  up  quick,  and  be  gone! 
The  water's  broke  loose!  it  is  chasing  me  on!  " 

3     They  strike!     HmTah!  the  fort  has  surrendered! 
Shout,  shout,  my  warrior-boy. 
And  wave  your  cap,  and  clap  your  hands  for  joy! 
Cheer  answer  cheer,  and  bear  the  cheer  about. 
HmTah,  hurrah,  for  the  fiery  fort  is  ours! 
'*  Victory,  victory,  victory!  " 

COMPOUND    STRESS. 

1.  Thou  slave,  thou  wretch,  thou  coward, 
Thou  little  valiant  great  in  villany  I 
Thou  wear  a  lion's  hide!  doff  it  for  shame. 
And  hang  a  calf's  skin  on  those  recreant  limbs. 

2.  Hath  not  a  Jew  eyes?  hath  not  a  Jew  hands,  organs, 
dimensions,  senses,  affections,  passions?  fed  with  the  same 
food,  hurt  with  the  same  weapons,  subject  to  the  same  dis- 
eases, healed  by  the  same  means,  warmed  and  cooled  by  the 
same  winter  and  summer,  as  a  Christian  is?  If  you  prick 
us,  do  we  not  bleed?  if  you  tickle  us,  do  we  not  laugh?  if 
you  poison  us,  do  we  not  die?  and,  if  you  wrong  us,  shall  we 
not  revenge? 

3.  Think  you  a  little  din  can  daunt  mine  ears? 
Have  I  not  in  my  time  heard  lions  roar? 

l:ave  1  not  heard  the  sea,  puffed  up  with  winds, 
Rage  like  an  angry  boar,  chafed  with  sweat? 
Have  I  not  heard  gi'eat  ordnance  in  the  field, 
And  heaven's  artillery  thunder  in  the  skies? 
Have  I  not  in  a  pitched  battle  heard 
Loud  'larums,  neighing  steeds,  and  trumpet's  clang? 
And  do  you  tell  me  of  a  woman's  tongue. 
That  gives  not  half  so  great  a  blow  to  the  ear 
As  will  a  chestnut  in  a  farmer's  five? 


66  ELOCUTION. 


TREMOLO    STRESS. 


1.  There's  nothing  in  this  world  can  make  me  joy: 
Life  is  as  tedious  as  a  twice-told  tale, 
Vexing  the  dull  ear  of  a  drowsy  man. 

2     O  men  with  sisters  dear ! 

O  men  with  mothers  and  wives ! 
It  is  not  linen  you're  wearing  out, 

But  human  creatures'  lives. 
Stitch,  stitch,  stitch, 

In  poverty,  hunger,  and  dirt; 
Sewing  at  once,  with  a  double  thread, 

A  shroud  as  well  as  a  shirt. 

3.    Grief  fills  the  room  up  of  my  absent  child, 
Lies  in  his  bed,  walks  up  and  down  with  me, 
Puts  on  his  pretty  looks,  repeats  his  words. 
Remembers  me  of  all  his  gracious  parts. 
Stuffs  out  his  vacant  garments  with  his  form: 
Then  have  I  reason  to  be  fond  of  grief. 

TRANSITION 

The  changes  from  one  kind  of  force  to  another,  or  one 
pitch  to  another,  or  one  movement  to  another,  or  one  quality 
to  another,  are  many  in  expressive  reading;  and  these  changes 
are  called  "Transition."  To  practise  it  is  very  useful  in 
breaking,  up  monotony  of  voice,  and  adding  expressiveness 
to  it.  In  practice  of  these  short  extracts,  you  are  showing 
the  benefit  of  practice  in  quality,  pitch,  movement,  and  force. 
Put  yourseK  into  the  thought  and  feeling,  and  vary  the  voice 
as  that,  guided  by  common  sense,  may  suggest  to  you. 

See  "  Reading  Club,"  No.  1,  pp.  45,  54;  No.  2,  pp.  5,  101;  No.  3^ 
pp.  9,  70,  87;  No.  4,  pp.  26,  42,  75. 

1.    "  Make  way  for  liberty!  "  he  cried,  — 
Made  way  for  liberty,  and  died ! 

2.  "  Peace  be  unto  thee,  father,"  Tauler  said: 

"  God  give  thee  a  good  day!  "     The  old  man  raised 
Slowly  his  calm  blue  eyes:  "  I  thank  thee,  son; 
But  all  my  days  are  good,  and  none  are  ill." 


ELOCUTION.  67 

3.  *'  They  come,  they  come!  the  pale-face  come!  '* 
The  chieftain  shouted  where  he  stood, 

Sharp  watching  at  the  margin  wood, 
And  gave  the  war-whoop's  treble  yell, 
That  like  a  knell  on  fair  hearts  fell 
Far  watching  from  their  rocky  home. 

4.  **  N"ot  yet,  not  yet:  steady,  steady!  " 
On  came  the  foe  in  even  line, 

Nearer  and  nearer,  to  thrice  paces  nine. 
We  looked  into  their  eyes.     "  Ready!  " 
A  sheet  of  flame,  a  roll  of  death! 
They  fell  by  scores :  we  held  our  breath : 
Then  nearer  still  they  came. 
Another  sheet  of  flame, 
And  brave  men  fled  who  never  fled  before. 

5.  Did  ye  not  hear  it?  —  No:  'twas  but  the  wind, 
Or  the  car  rattling  o'er  the  stony  street. 

On  with  the  dance !  let  joy  be  unconfined ! 
No  sleep  till  morn,  when  youth  and  pleasure  meet 
To  chase  the  glowing  hours  with  flying  feet. 
But  hark !  —  that  heavy  sound  breaks  in  once  more, 
As  if  the  clouds  its  echo  would  repeat ; 
And  nearer,  clearer,  deadlier  than  before ! 
Arm,  arm!  it  is  —  it  is  —  the  cannon's  opening  roar! 

6.  *'  Together!  "  shouts  Niagara  his  thunder-toned  decree; 
*'  Together!  "  echo  back  the  waves  upon  the  Mexic  Sea; 
*' Together!"  sing  the  sylvan  hills  where  old  Atlantic 

roars; 
** Together!"  boom  the  breakers  on  the  wild  Pacific 

shores ; 
**  Together!  "  cry  the  people.     And  '^  together  "  it  shall 

be, 
An  everlasting  charter-bond  forever  for  the  free ! 
Of  liberty  the  signet-seal,  the  one  eternal  sign, 
Be  those  united  emblems,  — the  Palmetto  ajid  the  Pine^ 

7.    "  Ho,  sailor  of  the  sea! 

How's  my  boy,  — my  boy?  " 

"  What's  your  boy's  name,  good  wife? 

And  in  what  good  ship  sailed  he?  " 


68  ELOCUTION, 

**My  boy  John, — 
He  that  went  to  sea: 
What  care  I  for  the  ship,  sailor? 
My  boy's  my  boy  to  me." 

8.  Out  burst  all  with  one  accord: 

* '  This  is  Paradise  for  Hell ! 

Let  France,  let  France's  king, 

Thank  the  man  that  did  the  thing!  " 
What  a  shout!  and  all  one  word,  — 

*'Herve  Riel!" 
As  he  stepped  in  front  once  more, 

Not  a  symptom  of  surprise 

In  the  frank  blue  Breton  eyes : 
Just  the  same  man  as  before. 

9.  He  called  his  child,  —  no  voice  replied; 

He  searched,  with  terror  wild: 
Blood,  blood,  he  found  on  every  side, 
But  nowhere  found  his  child. 

**  Hell-hound!  my  child's  by  thee  devoured,'* 

The  frantic  father  cried ; 
And  to  the  hilt  his  vengeful  sword 

He  plunged  in  Gelert's  side. 

His  suppliant,  as  to  earth  he  fell. 

No  pity  could  impart ; 
But  still  his  Gelert's  dying  yell 

Passed  heavy  o'er  his  heart. 

10.  While  the  trumpets  bray,  and  the  cymbals  ring, 

*'  Praise,  praise  to  Belshazzar,  Belshazzar  the  king!  *' 
Now  what  cometh?    Look,  lookl    Without  menace  or 

call, 
Who  writes  with  the  lightning's  bright  hand  on  the 

wall? 
What  pierceth  the  king  like  the  point  of  a  dart? 
What  drives  the  bold  blood  from  his  cheek  to  his  heart? 
**  Chaldseans,  magicians!  the  letters  expound." 
They  are  read ;  and  Belshazzar  is  dead  on  the  ground  1 

11.  Sir  P.  —  'Slife,  madam!  T  say,  had  you  any  of  these 
little  elegant  expenses  when  you  married  me? 


ELOCUTION.  69 

Lady  T.  — Lud,  Sir  Peter!  would  you  have  me  be  out 
of  the  fashion? 

Sir  P.  —  The  fashion,  indeed!  What  had  you  to  do 
with  the  fashion  before  you  married  me? 

Lady  T.  —  For  my  part,  I  should  think  you  would  like 
to  have  your  wife  thought  a  woman  of  taste. 

Sir  P.  —  Ay,  there  again!  Taste  I  Zounds,  madam  I 
you  had  no  taste  when  you  married  me. 

Lady  T.  —  That's  very  true,  indeed,  Sir  Peter;  and, 
after  having  married  you,  I  should  never  pretend  to  taste 
again,  I  allow. 

12.    ''  And  what  the  meed?  "  at  length  Tell  asked. 
**  Bold  fool!  when  slaves  like  thee  are  tasked, 

It  is  my  will ; 
But  that  thine  eye  may  keener  be, 
And  nerved  to  such  nice  archery, 
If  thou  succeed 'st,  thou  goest  free. 

What!  pause  ye  still? 
Give  him  a  bow  and  arrow  there : 
One  shaft,  —  but  one."     Madness,  despair, 

And  tortured  love, 
One  moment  swept  the  Switzer's  face ; 
Then  passed  away  each  stormy  trace. 
And  high  resolve  reigned  like  a  grace 

Caught  from  above. 

13        Bass.  — Why  dost  thou  whet  thy  knife  so  earnestly? 

Shy.  —  To  cut  the  forfeit  from  that  bankrupt  there. 

Gra.  —  Can  no  prayers  pierce  thee? 

Shy.  — No,  none  that  thou  hast  wit  enough  to  make 

Gra.  —  Oh,  be  thou  damned,  inexorable  dog. 
And  for  thy  life  let  justice  be  accused! 
Thou  almost  mak'st  me  waver  ni  my  faith, 
To  hold  opinion  with  Pythagoras, 
That  souls  of  animals  infuse  themselves 
Into  the  trunks  of  men :  thy  currish  spirit 
Governed  a  wolf,  who,  hanged  for  human  slaughter^ 
Even  from  the  gallows  did  his  fell  soul  fleet, 
And,  whilst  thou  lay'st  in  thy  unhallowed  dam, 
Infused  itself  in  thee;  for  thy  desires 
Are  wolfish,  bloody,  starved,  and  ravenous. 


70  ELOCUTION. 

Shy.  —  Till  thou  canst  rail  the  seal  from  off  my  bond, 
Thou  but  offend'st  thy  lungs  to  speak  so  loud. 
Repair  thy  wit,  good  youth,  or  it  will  fall 
To  cureless  ruin.  —  I  stand  here  for  law. 

14.    Ham.  — Kow,  mother,  what's  the  matter? 

Queen.  —  Hamlet,  thou  hast  thy  father  much  offended 

Ham.  — Mother,  you  have  my  father  much  offended. 

Queen.  —  Come,  come,  you  answer  with  an  idle  tongue 

Ham.  —  Go,  go,  you  question  with  a  wicked  tongue. 

Queen. — Wliy,  how  now,  Hamlet? 

Ham.  — What's  the  matter  now? 

Queen.  —  Have  you  forgot  me? 

Ham.  — No,  by  the  rood,  not  so: 
You  are  the  queen,  your  husband's  brother's  wife; 
And  —  would  it  were  not  so !  —  you  are  my  mother. 

Queen. — Nay,  then,  I'll  set  those  to  you  that  can 
speak. 

Ham.  — Come,  come,  and  sit  you  down:  you  shall  not 
budge ; 
You  go  not,  till  I  set  you  up  a  glass 
Where  you  may  see  the  inmost  part  of  you. 

MODULATION. 

*'  'Tis  not  enough  the  voice  be  loud  and  clear: 
'Tis  MODULATION  that  must  charm  the  ear." 

A  good  reader  or  speaker  will  vary  his  or  her  voice  in  the 
elements  of  emotional  expression  (that  is,  pitch,  quality, 
movement,  stress,  force),  on  words,  phrases,  and  sentences, 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  listeners  get  a  suggestion  of  the 
meaning  of  a  word  by  the  sound  of  it.  For  instance,  the 
words  bright,  glad,  Joyful,  dull,  sad,  weak,  may  be  pronounced 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  suggest  by  the  quality  of  voice  used 
their  meaning ;  and,  in  the  same  manner,  phrases  and  whole 
sentences  may  have  variation  in  voice  so  as  to  suggest  their 
meaning.     This  is  modulation. 

To  modulate  well,  first,  you  must  use  your  imagination,  to 
form  a  perfect  picture  in  your  own  mind  of  what  you  wish  to 
describe,  just  as  you  would  if  you  were  an  artist,  and  were 
intending  to  paint  an  ideal  picture;  and,  in  reality,  you  are 
an  artist,  for  you  paint  with  words  and  tones.  Secondly, 
you  should  understand  the  exact  meaning  of  each  word,  and, 


ELOCUTION.  71 

when  you  speak  it,  make  your  manner  of  speaking  it  suggest 
its  meaning.  Suppose  you  were  to  read  Tennyson's  ''  Song 
of  the  Brook."  We  will  analyze  as  near  as  words  may  the 
manner  of  reading  each  verse.  Read  the  whole  song,  and 
form  the  picture  in  imagination  of  the  flow  of  the  water,  the 
scenery  along  its  course,  the  roughness  or  smoothness  of  the 
water  as  described,  the  slowness  or  rapidity  of  its  flow  at 
different  points,  how  large  or  small  the  brook  is,  making  the 
picture  as  perfect  as  i#  you  would  paint  upon  canvas  the 
whole  scene. 

THE   BROOK. 

1.  I  come  from  haunts  of  coot  and  hern; 

2.  I  make  a  sudden  sally, 

3.  And  sparkle  out  among  the  fern 

4.  To  bicker  down  a  valley. 

5.  By  thirty  hills  I  hurry  down, 

6.  Or  slip  between  the  ridges ; 

7.  By  twenty  thorps,  a  little  town, 

8.  And  haK  a  hundred  bridges. 

9.  Till  last  by  Philip's  farm  I  flow 

10.  To  join  the  brimming  river; 

11.  For  men  may  come,  and  men  may  go, 

12.  But  I  go  on  forever. 

13.  I  chatter  over  stony  ways 

14.  In  little  sharps  and  trebles ; 

15.  I  bubble  into  eddying  bays;  • 

16.  I  babble  on  the  pebbles. 

17.  With  many  a  curve  my  banks  I  fret, 

18.  By  many  a  field  and  fallow, 

19.  And  many  a  fairy  foreland  set 

20.  With  willow-weed  and  mallow. 

21.  I  chatter,  chatter,  as  I  flow 

22.  To  join  the  brimming  river; 

23.  For  men  may  come,  and  men  may  go, 

24.  But  I  go  on  forever. 

25.  I  wind  about,  and  in  and  out, 

26.  With  here  a  blossom  sailing, 

27.  And  here  and  there  a  lusty  trout, 

28.  And  here  and  there  a  grayling, 


72  ELOCUTION. 

29.  And  here  and  there  a  foamy  flake 

30.  Upon  me  as  I  travel ; 

31.  With  many  a  silvery  waterbreak 

32.  Above  the  golden  gravel ; 

33.  And  draw  them  all  along,  and  flow, 

34.  To  join  the  brimming  river ; 

35.  For  men  may  come,  and  men  may  go, 

36.  But  I  go  on  forever* 

37.  I  steal  by  lawns  and  grassy  plots ; 

38.  I  slide  by  hazel  covers ; 

39.  I  move  the  sweet  forget-me-nots 

40.  That  grow  for  happy  lovers. 

41.  I  slip,  I  slide,  I  gloom,  I  glance, 

42.  Among  my  skimming  swallows ; 

43.  I  make  the  netted  sunbeams  dance  * 

44.  Against  my  sandy  shallows. 

45.  I  murmur  under  moon  and  stars 

46.  In  brambly  wildernesses; 

47.  I  linger  by  my  shingly  bars ; 

48.  I  loiter  round  my  cresses : 

49.  And  out  again  I  curve  and  flow 

50.  To  join  the  brimming  river; 

51.  For  men  may  come,  and  men  may  go, 

52.  But  I  go  on  forever. 

As  a  whole,  this  piece  requires  for  quality  of  voice  the 
pure  tone  ;  force,  gentle ;  movement,  moderate ;  pitch,  middle ; 
stress,  median.  The  variations  in  modulation  must  be  from 
these,  and  will  be  mostly  variations  in  quality,  movement, 
and  pitch. 

Lines  2  to  6.  Movement,  quick;  pitch,  high;  with  quality 
changing  on  words  sudden^  sparkle^  bicker^  hurry,  slip,  in  such 
a  way  as  to  suggest  the  meaning  of  the  word. 

Lines  7  to  12.     Movement,  moderate ;  pitch,  middle. 

Lines  13  to  16.  Movement,  quick;  pitch,  high;  the  words 
chatter,  stony,  sharps,  trebles,  bubble,  babble,  spoken  with  sug- 
gestion of  their  meaning. 

Lines  17  to  20.     Movement,  moderate;  pitch,  middle. 


ELOCUTION,  73 

Lines  21  to  24.  Movement,  quick;  pitch,  high;  make 
quality  suggest  on  chatter,  brimming. 

Lines  25  to  28.  Movement,  slow;  pitch,  middle;  change 
to  suggestive  quality  on  loind,  blossom,  lusty. 

Lines  29  to  'dQ.  Movement,  moderate;  pitch,  middle;  sug 
gestive  quality  on  foamy,  silvery,  golden,  brimming. 

Lines  37  to  40.  Movement,  slow;  pitch,  low;  suggestive 
quality  on  steal,  slide,  move,  happy. 

Lines  41,  42.  Movement,  pitch,  quality,  all  varied  on 
words  slip,  slide,  gloom,  glance. 

Lines  43,  44.  Movement,  quick;  pitch,  high;  suggestive 
quality  on  dance,  shallows. 

Lines  45  to  48.  Movement,  slow;  pitch,  low;  quality, 
very  slightly  aspirate ;  suggestive  quality  on  murmur,  linger^ 
loiter. 

Lines  49  to  52.  Movement,  moderate;  pitch,  middle;  sug- 
gestive quality  on  brimming. 

This  analysis  is  very  imperfect,  as  it  is  impossible  in  words 
to  explain  it.  What  modulation  requires  is,  as  a  popular 
author  says,  "  genius  and  sense  "  on  your  part,  and  you  will 
be  enabled  to  do  as  here  is  imperfectly  suggested.  You  will 
do  well  to  select  some  pieces,  and  analyze  them,  as  here  sug- 
gested. In  Longfellow's  launch  of  the  ship,  in  his  poem 
*'  Building  of  the  Ship,"  picture  the  whole  scene  in  imagina- 
tion, the  size  and  kind  of  ship,  the  number  of  the  crowd,  &c. 

The  following  pieces  are  marked  so  that  you  may  get  a 
general  idea  of  what  is  required  for  emotional  expression  in 
each.  No  marking  can  give  you  particulars  of  what  is  ne- 
cessary, as  the  modulation  of  voice  or  variety  in  emotional 
expression  —  the  light  and  shadow  in  the  coloring  of  your 
word-picture  —  must  depend  upon  your  artistic  ' '  sense  and 
genius."  Imagine  your  picture,  understand  the  meaning  of 
every  word  and  suggest  its  meaning  in  tone,  concentrate 
yourself  in  the  thought  and  feeling  of  the  piece,  and  let  your 
voice  be  governed  by  that,  and  you  will  not  go  far  wrong  if 
you  have  faithfully  practised  what  has  been  recommended  in 
the  previous  pages  of  this  book. 

1.  Pure  quality,  gentle  force,  slow  movement,  middle 
pitck,  median  stress. 

Those  evening  bells,  those  evening  bells! 
How  many  a  tale  their  music  tells 
Of  youth  and  home,  and  that  sweet  time 
When  last  I  heard  their  soothing-  chime ! 


74  ELOCUTION. 

Those  joyous  hours  are  passed  away; 
And  many  a  heart  that  then  was  gay 
Within  the  tomb  now  darkly  dwells, 
And  hears  no  more  those  evening  bells. 

And  so  'twill  be  when  I  am  gone : 
That  tuneful  peal  will  still  ring  on ; 
While  other  bards  shall  walk  these  dells, 
And  sing  your  praise,  sweet  evening  bells. 

2.  Orotund  quality,  with  fuhiess  and  power,  varying 
middle  and  low  pitch,  moderate  and  quick  movement, 
median  and  radical  stress  mixed. 

With  storm-daring  pinion  and  sun-gazing  eye 
The  gray  forest  eagle  is  king  of  the  sky. 
From  the  crag-grasping  fir-top  where  morn  hangs  its  wi'eath, 
He  views  the  mad  waters  white  writhing  beneath. 
A  fitful  red  glaring,  a  rumbling  jar, 
Proclaim  the  storm-demon  still  raging  afar: 
The  black  cloud  strides  upward,  the  lightning  more  red, 
And  the  roll  of  the  thunder  more  deep  and  more  dread ; 
A  thick  pall  of  darkness  is  cast  o'er  the  air; 
And  on  bounds  the  blast  with  a  howl  from  its  lair. 

The  lightning  darts  zig-zag  and  forked  through  the  gloom', 
And  the  bolt  launches  o'er  with  crash,  rattle,  and  boom: 
The  gray  forest  eagle  —  where,  where  has  he  sped? 
Does  he  shrink  to  his  eyrie,  or  shiver  with  dread? 
Does  the  glare  blind  his  eye?     Has  the  terrible  blast 
On  the  wing  of  the  sky-king  a  fear-fetter  cast? 
No,  no!  the  brave  eagle,  he  thinks  not  of  fright: 
The- wrath  of  the  tempest  but  rouses  delight. 

To  the  flash  of  the  lightning  his  eye  casts  a  gleam; 
To  the  shriek  of  the  wild  blast  he  echoes  his  scream ; 
And  with  front  like  a  warrior  that  speeds  to  the  fray. 
And  a  clapping  of  pinions,  he's  up  and  away. 
Away  —  oh !  away  —  soars  the  fearless  and  free ; 
What  recks  he  the  skies'  strife?  its  monarch  is  he! 
The  lightning  darts  round  him,  undaunted  his  sight* 
The  blast  sweeps  against  him,  unwavered  his  flight ; 
High  upward,  still  upward,  he  wheels,  till  his  form 
Is  lost  in  the  black  scowling  gloom  of  the  storm. 

3.  Pure  to  orotund  quality,  gentle  to  moderate  force, 
moderate  movement,  middle  pitch,  radical  and  median  stress 


ELOCUTION.  75 

mixed.     This  contains  many  words  that  can  be  pronounced 
with  a  quality  or  variation  suggesting  their  meaning. 

Rhetoric  as  taught  in  our  seminaries  and  by  elocutionists 
is  one  thing:  genuine,  heart-thrilling,  soul-stirring  eloquence 
is  a  very  different  thing.  The  one  is  like  the  rose  in  wax, 
without  odor;  the  other  like  the  rose  on  its  native  bush,  per- 
fuming the  atmosphere  with  the  rich  odors  distilled  from  the 
dew  of  heaven. 

The  one  is  the  finely-finished  statue  of  a  Cicero  or  Demos- 
thenes, more  perfect  in  its  lineaments  than  the  original, 
pleasing  the  eye,  and  enrapturing  the  imagination:  the  other 
is  the  living  man,  animated  by  intellectual  powei*,  rousing 
the  deepest  feelings  of  every  heart,  and  electrifying  eveiy 
soul  as  with  vivid  lightning.  The  one  is  a  picture  of  the 
passions  all  on  fire :  the  other  is  the  real  conflagration,  pour- 
ing out  a  volume  of  words  that  burn  like  liquid  flames  burst- 
ing from  the  crater  of  a  volcano. 

The  one  attracts  the  admiring  gaze  and  tickles  the  fancy 
of  an  audience:  the  other  sounds  an  alarm  that  vibrates 
through  the  tingling  ears  to  the  soul,  and  drives  back  the 
rushing  blood  upon  the  aching  heart.  The  one  falls  upon 
the  multitude  like  April  showers  glittering  in  the  sunbeams, 
animating,  and  bringing  nature  into  mellow  life :  the  other 
rouses  the  same  mass  to  deeds  of  noble  daring,  and  imparts 
to  it  the  terrific  force  of  an  avalanche. 

The  one  mo\aes  the  cerebral  foliage  ih  waves  of  recumbent 
beauty  like  a  gentle  wind  passing  over  a  prairie  of  tall  grass 
and  flowers:  the  other  strikes  a  blow  that  resounds  through 
the  wilderness  of  mind  like  rolling  thunder  through  a  forest 
of  oaks.  The  one  fails  when  strong  commcttions  and  angry 
elements  agitate  the  public  peace:  the  other  can  ride  upon 
the  whirlwind,  direct  the  tornado,  and  rule  the  storm. 

4.  Aspirated  orotund  quality,  moderate  force,  very  slo^ 
movement,  very  low  pitch,  median  stress. 

Tread  softly,  bow  the  head,  in  reverent  silence  bow : 
No  passing  bell  doth  toll,  yet  an  immortal  soul 
Is  passing  now. 

Stranger,  however  great,  with  lowly  reverence  bow: 
There's  one  in  that  poor  shed,  one  by  that  paltry  bed, 
Greater  than  thou. 


76  ELOCUTION. 

Beneath  that  beggar's  roof,  lo!  Death  doth  keep  his  state- 
Enter,  no  crowds  attend ;  enter,  no  guards  defend 
This  palace-gate. 

That  pavement  damp  and  cold  no  smiling  courtiers  tread: 
One  silent  woman  stands,  lifting  with  meagre  hands 
A  dying  head. 

N"o  mingling  voices  sound,  —  an  infant  wail  alone: 
A  sob  suppressed,  again  that  short  deep  gasp,  and  then 
The  parting  groan. 

Oh   change  !   oh  wondrous   change  !   burst  are  the  prison- 
bars: 
This  moment  there,  so  low,  so  agonized;  and  now 
Beyond  the  stars ! 

Oh  change,  stupendous  change!  there  lies  the  soulless  clod: 
The  sun  eternal  breaks,  the  new  immortal  wakes,  — 
Wakes  with  his  God ! 

5.    Pure  quality,  moderate  force,  quick  movement,  high 
pitch,  radical  stress,  suggestive  quality  on  many  words. 

The  Wind  one  morning  sprang  up  from  sleep, 

Saying,  "  Now  for  a  frolic,  now  for  a  leap,     ^ 

Now  for  a  mad-cap  galloping  chase : 

I'll  make  a  commotion  in  every  place! ''    , 

So  it  swept  with  a  bustle  right  through  a  great  town, 

Creaking  the  signs,  and  scattering  down 

Shutters,  and  whisking  with  merciless  squalls 

Old  women's  bonnets  and  gingerbread-stalls: 

There  never  was  heard  a  much  lustier  shout 

As  the  apples  and  oranges  tumbled  about ; 

And  the  urchins,  that  stand  with  their  thievish  eyes 

Forever  on  v/atch,  ran  off  each  with  a  prize. 

Then  away  to  the  field  it  went  blustering  and  humming. 

And  the  cattle  all  wondered  whatever  was  coming: 

It  plucked  by  their  tails  the  grave  matronly  cows, 

And  tossed  the  colts'  manes  all  about  their  brows; 

Till,  offended  at  such  a  familiar  salute, 

They  all  turned  their  backs,  and  stood  silently  mute. 

So  on  it  went  capering,  and  playing  its  pranks ; 

Whistling  with  reeds  on  the  broad  river's  banks; 


ELOCUTION.  11 

Puffing  the  birds  as  they  sat  on  the  spray, 

Or  the  traveller  grave  on  the  king's  highway. 

It  was  not  too  nice  to  hustle  the  bags 

Of  the  beggar,  and  flutter  his  dirty  rags: 

'Twas  so  bold,  that  it  feared  not  to  play  its  joke 

With  the  doctor's  wig  and  the  gentleman's  cloak. 

Through  the  forest  it  roared,  and  cried  gayly,  "  Now, 

You  sturdy  old  oaks,  I'll  make  you  bow!  " 

And  it  made  them  bow  without  more  ado. 

And  cracked  their  great  branches  through  and  through. 

Then  it  rushed  like  a  monster  on  cottage  and  farm. 

Striking  their  dwellers  with  sudden  alarm, 

And  they  ran  out  like  bees  in  a  midsummer  swarm. 

There  were  dames  with  their  kerchiefs  tied  over  their  caps 

To  see  if  their  poultry  were  free  from  mishaps. 

The  turkeys  they  gobbled ;  the  geese  screamed  aloud ; 

And  the  hens  crept  to  roost  in  a  terrified  crowd : 

There  was  rearing  of  ladders,  and  logs  laying  on. 

Where  the  thatch  from  the  roof  threatened  soon  to  be  gone. 

But  the  wind  had  passed  on,  and  had  met  in  a  lane 

With  a  school-boy  who  panted  and  struggled  in  vain ; 

For  it  tossed  him  and  twirled  him,  then  passed,  and  he  stood 

With  his  hat  in  a  pool,  and  his  shoe  in  the  mud. 

STYLE. 

What  you  have  to  say,  where  you  have  to  say  it,  when  you 
have  to  say  it,  why  you  have  to  say  it,  and  to  whom  you  have 
to  say  it,  —  on  these  depend  how  you  shall  say  it,  or  your  style. 
Conversational  style  is  as  you  would  talk  in  earnest  conver- 
sation with  a  friend;  Narrative,  as  you  would  tell  an  anec- 
dote or  story  to  a  company  of  friends;  Descriptive,  as  you 
would  describe  what  you  had  actually  seen;  Didactic,  as 
you  would  state  earnestly,  decisively,  but  pleasantly,  your 
knowledge  or  opinions  to  others;  Public  Address,  which 
generally  includes  the  Didactic,  Narrative,  and  Descriptive, 
is  spoken  with  design  to  move,  to  persuade,  and  instruct, 
particularly  the  latter  ;  Declamatory  is  Public  Address 
magnified  in  expression,  exhibiting  more  emotion,  both  in 
language,  and  in  quality,  and  fulness  of  voice;  the  Emo- 
tional or  Dramatic,  in  which  the  emotions  and  passions  are 
strongly  expressed.  In  practising  these  different  styles,  the 
((uality,  pitch,  force,  and  time  must  be  regulated  by  your 
thought  and  feeling,  guided,  as  in  transition,  by  conunou 


78  ELOCUTION. 

sense,  which  will  enable  you  to  tell  natural  from  unnatural 
expression.  Practise  these  few  exercises  under  each  head; 
but  you  will  do  better  to  practise  pieces  such  as  are  referred 
to  under  each  head  in  the  "  Reading  Club." 

CONVERSATIONAL. 

1.  **  And  how's  my  boy,  Betty?  "  asked  Mrs.  Boffin,  sit- 
ting down  beside  her. 

' '  He's  bad ;  he's  bad !  "  said  Betty,  ' '  I  begin  to  be  afeerd 
he'll  not  be  yours  any  more  than  mine.  All  others  belong- 
ing to  him  have  gone  to  the  Power  and  the  Glory ;  and  I  have 
a  mind  that  they're  drawing  him  to  them,  leading  him 
away." 

*'  No,  no,  no!  "  said  Mrs.  Boffin. 

*'  I  don't  know  why  else  he  clinches  his  little  hand,  as  if 
it  had  hold  of  a  finger  that  I  can't  see;  look  at  it!  "  said 
Betty,  opening  the  wrappers  in  which  the  flushed  child  lay, 
and  showing  his  small  right  hand  lying  closed  upon  his 
breast.     "  It's  always  so.     It  don't  mind  me." 

2.  Helen.  — What's  that  you  read? 
Modus. — Latin,  sweet  cousin. 
Hel.  —  'Tis  a  naughty  tongue, 

I  fear,  and  teaches  men  to  lie. 

Modus.  —  To  lie! 

Hel.  —  You  study  it.     You  call  your  cousin  sweet, 
And  treat  her  as  you  would  a  crab.     As  sour 
'T would  seem  you  think  her:  so  you  covet  her! 
Why,  how  the  monster  stares,  and  looks  about! 
You  construe  Latin,  and  can't  construe  that! 

Modus.  —  I  never  studied  women. 

Hel.  — No,  nor  men; 
Else  would  you  better  know  their  ways,  nor  read 
In  presence  of  a  lady. 

3.  **  Now,"  said  Wardle,  ''  what  say  you  to  an  hour  on 
the  ice?    We  shall  have  plenty  of  time." 

''  Capital!  "  said  Mr.  Benjamin  Allen. 

'*  Prime!  "  ejaculated  Mr.  Bob  Sawyer. 

*'  You  skate,  of  course.  Winkle?  "  said  Wardle. 

"Ye  —  yes;  oh,  yes!  "  replied  Mr.  Winkle.  "I  —  I  am 
rather  out  of  practice." 

"Oh,  do  skate,  Mr.  Winkle!  "  said  Arabella.  "  I  like  to 
see  it  so  much!  " 


ELOCUTION.  79 

'*  Oh,  it  is  so  graceful!  "  said  another  young  lady. 

A  third  young  lady  said  it  was  elegant;  and  a  fourth  ex- 
pressed her  opinion  that  it  was  '*  swan-like." 

'*  I  should  be  very  happy,  I'm  sure,"  said  Mr.  Winkle, 
reddening;  "  but  I  have  no  skates." 

This  objection  was  at  once  overruled.  Trundle  had  got 
a  couple  of  pair,  and  the  fat  boy  announced  that  there  were 
half  a  dozen  more  down  stairs;  whereat  Mr.  Winkle  ex- 
pressed exquisite  delight,  and  looked  exquisitely  uncomfort- 
able. 

See  "  Reading  Club,"  No.  1,  p.  56;  No.  2,  p.  49;  No.  3,  pp.  5, 38; 
No.  4i  pp.  94,  67. 

NARRATIVE. 

1.    Tauler  the  preacher  walked,  one  autumn-day, 
Without  the  walls  of  Strasburg,  by  the  Rhine, 
Pondering  the  solemn  miracle  of  life ; 
As  one  who,  wandering  in  a  starless  night. 
Feels  momently  the  jar  of  unseen  waves. 
And  hears  the  thunder  of  an  unknown  sea 
Breaking  along  an  unimagined  shore. 

2.  The  illustrious  Spinola,  upon  hearing  of  the  death  of  a 
friend,  inquired  of  what  disease  he  died.  ^'  Of  having  noth- 
ing to  do,"  said  the  person  who  mentioned  it.  "  Enough," 
said  Spinola,  "to  kill  a  general."  Not  only  the  want  of 
employment,  but  the  want  of  care,  often  increases  as  well  as 
brings  on  this  disease. 

3.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  was  once  examining  a  new  and  very 
fine  globe,  when  a  gentleman  came  into  his  study  who  did 
not  believe  in  a  God,  but  declared  the  world  we  live  in  came 
by  chance.  He  was  much  pleased  with  the  handsome  globe, 
and  asked,  "Who  made  it?"  —  "Nobody,"  answered  Sir 
Isaac:  "  it  happened  there. "  The  gentleman  looked  up  in 
amazement ;  but  he  soon  understood  what  it  meant. 

See  **  Reading  Club,"  No.  1,  pp.  23,  73;  No.  2,  pp.  37,  44:  No.  3, 
pp.  9,  99;  No.  4,  pp.  26,  49,  89. 

DESCRIPTIVE. 

1.    The  morn  awakes,  like  brooding  dove, 
With  outstretched  wings  of  gray; 
Thin,  feathery  clouds  close  in  above, 
And  build  a  sober  dav. 


80  ELOCUTION, 

No  motion  in  the  deeps  of  air, 

No  trembling  in  the  leaves ; 
A  still  contentment  everywhere, 

That  neither  laughs  nor  grieves. 

A  shadowy  veil  of  silvery  sheen 

Bedims  the  ocean's  hue, 
Save  where  the  boat  has  torn  between 

A  track  of  shining  blue. 

Dream  on,  dream  on,  O  dreamy  day! 

The  very  clouds  are  dreams : 
That  cloud  is  dreaming  far  av/ay, 

And  is  not  where  it  seems. 

2.  The  broad  moon  lingers  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Olivet; 
but  its  beam  has  long  left  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  the 
tomb  of  Absalom,  the  waters  of  Kedron,  and  the  dark  abyss 
of  Jehoshaphat.  Full  falls  its  splendor,  however,  on  the 
opposite  city,  vivid  and  defined  in  its  silver  blaze.  A  lofty 
wall,  with  turrets  and  towers  and  frequent  gates,  undulates 
with  the  unequal  ground  which  it  covers,  as  it  encircles  the 
lost  capital  of  Jehovah.  It  is  a  city  of  hills,  far  more  famous 
than  those  of  Rome ;  for  all  Europe  has  heard  of  Sion  and  of 
Calvary. 

3.  It  was  a  fine  autumnal  day:  the  sky  was  clear  and 
serene,  and  Nature  wore  that  rich  and  golden  livery  which 
we  always  associate  with  the  idea  of  abundance.  The  forests 
had  put  on  their  sober  brown  and  yellow ;  while  some  trees 
of  the  tenderer  kind  had  been  nipped  by  the  frosts  into  bril- 
liant dyes  of  orange,  purple,  and  scarlet.  Streaming  files  of 
wild  ducks  began  to  make  their  appearance  high  in  the  air; 
the  bark  of  the  squirrel  might  be  heard  from  the  groves  of 
beech  and  hickory  nuts,  and  the  pensive  whistle  of  the  quail 
at  intervals  from  the  neighboring  stubble-field. 

See  '*  Reading  Club,"  No.  2,  pp.  15,  39;  No.  3,  pp.  28, 97;  No.  4, 
pp  19,  36,  92. 

DIDACTIC. 

1.   To  teach  —  what  is  it  but  to  learn 
Each  day  some  lesson  fair  or  deep, 
The  while  our  hearts  toward  others  yearn,  — 
The  hearts  that  wake  toward  those  that  sleep  f 


ELOCUTION.  81 

To  learn  —  what  is  it  but  to  teach 
By  aspect,  manner,  silence,  word, 

The  while  we  far  and  farther  reach 
Within  thy  treasures,  O  our  Lord? 

Then  who  but  is  a  learner  aye? 

And  who  but  teaches,  well  or  ill? 
Receiving,  giving,  day  by  day,  — 

So  grows  the  tree,  so  flows  the  rill. 

2.  All  professions  should  be  liberal ;  and  there  should  be 
less  pride  felt  in  peculiarity  of  employment,  and  more  in  ex- 
cellence of  achievement.  And  yet  more:  in  each  several  pro- 
fession no  master  should  be  too  proud  to  do  its  hardest  work. 
The  painter  should  grind  his  own  colors ;  the  architect  work 
in  the  mason's  yard  with  his  men;  the  master-manufacturer 
be  himself  a  more  skiKul  operative  than  any  man  in  his 
mills ;  and  the  distinction  between  one  man  and  another  be 
only  in  experience  and  skill,  and  the  authority  and  wealth 
which  these  must  naturally  and  justly  obtain. 

3.   Now,  my  co-mates  and  brothers  in  exile, 

Hath  not  old  custom  made  this  life  more  sweet 
Than  that  of  painted  pomp?     Are  not  these  woods 
More  free  from  peril  than  the  envious  court? 
Here  feel  we  but  the  penalty. of  Adam, 
The  seasons'  difference;  as,  the  icy  fang 
And  churlish  chiding  of  the  winter's  wind, 
Which,  when  it  bites  and  blows  upon  my  body, 
Even  till  I  shrink  with  cold,  I  smile,  and  say, 
This  is  no  flattery :  these  are  counsellors 
That  feelingly  persuade  me  what  I  am. 
Sweet  are  the  uses  of  adversity, 

Which,  like  the  toad,  ugly  and  venomous,  -* 

Wears  yet  a  precious  jewel  in  his  head; 
And  this  our  life,  exempt  from  public  haunt, 
Finds  tongues  in  trees,  books  in  the  running  brooks, 
Sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  every  thing. 

See  "  Beading  Club,"  No.  1,  p.  82;  No.  2,  pp.  88, 76;  No.  3,  p.  59. 

PUBLIC    ADDRESS. 

1.  Let  not,  then,  the  young  man  sit  with  folded  hands, 
calling  on  Hercules.     Thine  own  arm  is  the  demigod  :    it 


82  ELOCUTION. 

was  given  thee  to  help  thyself.  Go  forth  into  tlie  world 
trustful,  but  fearless.  Exalt  thine  adopted  calling  or  profes- 
sion. Look  on  labor  as  honorable,  and  dignify  the  task 
before  thee,  whether  it  be  in  the  study,  office,  counting-room, 
work-shop,  or  furrowed  field.  There  is  an  equality  in  all, 
and  the  resolute  will  and  pure  heart  may  ennoble  eitlier. 

2.  While  you  are  gazing  on  that  sun  which  is  plunging 
into  the  vault  of  the  west,  another  observer  admires  him 
emerging  from  the  gilded  gates  of  the  east.  By  what  incon- 
ceivable power  does  that  aged  star,  which  is  sinking  fatigued 
and  burning  in  the  shades  of  the  evening,  re-appear  at  the 
same  instant  fresh  and  humid  with  the  rosy  dew  of  the 
morning?  At  every  hour  of  the  day  the  glorious  orb  is  at 
once  rising,  resplendent  as  noonday,  and  setting  in  the  west; 
or  rather  our  senses  deceive  us,  and  there  is,  properly  speak- 
ing, no  east  or  west,  no  north  or  south,  in  the  world. 

3.  In  all  natural  and  spiritual  transactions,  so  far  as  they 
come  within  the  sphere  of  human  agency,  there  are  three 
distinct  elements:  there  is  an  element  of  endeavor,  of 
mystery,  and  of  I'esult;  in  other  words,  there  is  something 
for  man  to  do,  there  is  something  beyond  his  knowledge  and 
control,  there  is  something  achieved  by  the  co-operation  of 
these  two.  Man  sows  the  seed,  he  reaps  the  harvest;  but 
between  these  two  points  occurs  the  middle  condition  of 
mystery.  He  casts  the  seed  into  the  ground ;  he  sleeps  and 
rises  night  and  day;  but  the  seed  springs  and  grows  up,  he 
knows  not  how:  yet,  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  immediately  he 
putteth  in  the  sickle,  because  the  harvest  is  come.  That  is 
all  he  knows  about  it.  There  is  something  for  him  to  do, 
something  for  him  to  receive;  but  between  the  doing  and 
receiving  there  is  a  mystery. 

See  **  Reading  Club,"  No.  1,  p.  83;  No.  2,  pp.  77,  79;  No.  3,  pp 
74,91;  No.  4,  pp.  35,  53. 

DECLAMATORY. 

1.  You  speak  like  a  boy,  —  like  a  boy  who  thinks  the  old 
gnarled  oak  can  be  twisted  as  easily  as  the  young  sapling. 
Can  I  forget  that  I  have  been  branded  as  an  outlaw,  stig- 
matized as  a  traitor,  a  price  set  on  my  head  as  if  I  had  been 
a  wolf,  my  family  treated  as  the  dam  and  cubs  of  the  hill- 
fox,  whom  all  may  torment,  vilify,  degrade,  and  insult;  the 


ELOCUTION,  83 

very  name  which  came  to  me  from  a  long  and  noble  line  of 
martial  ancestors  denounced,  as  if  it  were  a  spell  to  conjure 
uj)  the  devil  with? 

2.  I  have  been  accused  of  ambition  in  presenting  this 
measure,  —  inordinate  ambition.  If  I  had  thought  of  my- 
self only,  I  should  have  never  brought  it  forward.  1  know 
well  the  perils  to  which  I  expose  myself,  — the  risk  of  alien- 
ating faithful  and  valued  friends,  with  but  little  prospect  of 
making  new  ones  (if  any  new  ones  could  compensate  for  the 
loss  of  those  we  have  long  tried  and  loved),  and  the  honest 
misconception  both  of  friends  and  foes.  Ambition  I  —  yes, 
1  have  ambition ;  but  it  is  the  ambition  of  being  the  humble 
instrument  in  the  hands  of  Providence  to  reconcile  a  divided 
people,  once  more  to  revive  concord  and  harmony  in  a  dis- 
tracted land;  the  pleasing  ambition  of  contemplating  the 
glorious  spectacle  of  a  free,  united,  prosperous,  and  fraternal 
people. 

3.  Tell  me,  ye  who  tread  the  sods  of  yon  sacred  height,  is 
Warren  dead?  Can  you  not  still  see  him,  not  pale  and  pros- 
trate, the  blood  of  his  gallant  heart  pouring  out  of  his  ghastly 
wound,  but  moving  resplendent  over  the  field  of  honor,  with 
the  rose  of  heaven  upon  his  cheek,  and  the  fire  of  liberty  in 
his  eye?  Tell  me,  ye  who  make  your  pious  pilgrimage  to 
the  shades  of  Vernon,  is  Washington  indeed  shut  up  in  that 
cold  and  narrow  house?  That  which  made  these  men,  and 
men  like  these,  cannot  die.  The  liand  that  traced  the  charter 
of  Independence  is  indeed  motionless ;  the  eloquent  lips  tha^t 
sustained  it  are  hushed:  but  the  lofty  spirits  that  conceived, 
resolved,  and  maintained  it,  and  which  alone,  to  such  men, 
*'  make  it  life  to  live,"  — these  cannot  expire. 

See  *'  Reading  Club,"  No.  1,  pp.  ^,  75;  No.  3,  pp.  50,  G8,  84; 
No.  4,  pp.  40,  55. 

DRAMATIC   OR   EMOTIONAL. 

1.    Yain  pomp  and  glory  of  this  world,  I  hate  ye! 
I  feel  my  heart  new  opened.     Oh,  how  wretched 
Is  that  poor  man  that  hangs  on  princes'  favors ! 
There  is  betwixt  that  smile  we  would  aspire  to, 
That  sweet  aspect  of  princes  and  their  ruin, 
^]More  pangs  and  fears  than -wars  or  women  have; 
And,  when  he  falls,  he  falls  like  Lucifer, 
Never  to  hope  again. 


84  ELOCUTION. 

2.  What  would  yon  have,  you  curs! 

That  like  nor  peace  nor  war?     The  one  affrights  you; 
The  other  makes  you  proud.     He  that  trusts  you, 
Where  he  should  find  you  lions  finds  you  hares ; 
Where  foxes,  geese.     You  are  no  surer,  no, 
Than  is  the  coal  of  fire  upon  the  ice, 
Or  hailstone  in  the  sun. 

3.  To-morrow,  and  to-morrow,  and  to-morrow, 
Creeps  in  this  petty  pace  from  day  to  day, 
To  the  last  syllable  of  recorded  time ; 
And  all  our  yesterdays  have  lighted  fools 

The  way  to  dusty  death.     Out,  out,  brief  candle! 
Life's  but  a  walking  shadow;  a  poor  player, 
That  struts  and  frets  his  hour  upon  the  stage, 
And  then  is  heard  no  more :  it  is  a  tale 
Told  by  an  idiot,  full  of  sound  and  fury. 
Signifying  nothing. 

See  "  Reading  Club,"  No.  1,  p.  8  ;  No.  2,  p.  28  ;  No.  3,  p.  60; 
Kg.  4,  p.  14. 


ELOCUTION.  85 


PAET    FOUE. 


HINTS    OX   ELOCUTION. 

If  you  have  practised  and  studied  the  previous  pages  of 
this  book,  you  will  have  gained  an  elementary  knowledge  of 
the  science  of  elocution.  Carlyle  says,  "The  grand  result 
of  schooling  is  a  mind  with  just  vision  to  dis-  practice. 
cern,  with  free  force  to  do:  the  grand  school- 
master is  Practice."  To  make  an  artist  of  yourself  in  elo- 
cution requires  much  practice  and  much  patience.  As  Long- 
fellow says,  ''Art  is  long,  and  time  is  fleeting;  "  and  the 
art  of  elocution  is  no  exception  to  that  truth. 

You  must  have  health,  strength,  and  elasticity  of  body; 
and,  to  get  and  keep  these,  obey  the  laws  of  life  as  to  exer- 
cise, rest,  pure  air,  good  food,  and  temperance  in  all  things. 
Avoid  all  stimulants,  or  tobacco  in  any  form.  Practise  any 
gymnastics  that  shall  help  to  make  you  strong  jj^alth 
and  sprightly,  but  especially  the  physical  gym- 
nastics here  given,  as  they  are  designed  to  benefit  the 
muscles  used  in  speaking. 

When  you  stand  to  speak,  the  first  thing  that  strikes  your 
audience  is  the  position  you  assume.  Therefore  be  careful 
to  assume  and  keep  the  speaker's  position  until  some  other 
position  is  needed  for  expression ;  and  return  to  „  .  .^^ 
the  speaker's  position,  as  the  one  which  is  an 
active  position,  but  gives  the  idea  of  repose  and  confidence, 
without  that  disagreeable  self-consciousness  which  to  an 
audience  is  disgusting.  While  you  are  speaking,  avoid  all 
swaying  or  motion  of  body,  unless  it  means  something. 

Do   not  bow  too   quickly,   but   do  it  with   dignity,  and 
respect  to  your  audience,  first  with  a  general,  quick  glance 
of  the  eye  about  you.     Bend  the  body  at  the  hip-     ^     . 
joints;  let  the  back  bend  a  little,  and  the  head       ^^^"^5^- 
more  than  the  body.     Do  not  bow  too  low,  nor  be  stifE  in 
your  movements. 


8G  ELOCUTION. 

How  to  hold  the  book  has  been  shown  in  Part  One ;  and 
you  will  find  that  to  be  the  position  that  strikes 
book]^    the  audience  most  favorably,  and  gives  an  im- 
pression of  ease,  which  goes  a  great  way  towards 
making  the  audience  enjoy  your  reading. 

When  you  speak,  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  making  your- 
self understood.     And  to  do  this  you  must  articulate"^  per- 
fectly ;    that  is,  give   a   clear  and  correct  utter- 
tion^~    ^i^c®  ^^  every  element  in  a  word.     You  must  also 
pronounce  properly,  —  that  is,  accent  the  proper 
syllable  in  a  word;  and,  to  find  out  what  the  proper  syllable 
.is,  refer  to  Webster's  or  Worcester's  large  Dic- 
'^SI!^*""  ^ionary  (AVorcester   being  preferable),  and   find 
out  for  yourself.     You  must  also  give  the  right 
phrasing,  subordinating  all  other  phrases  to  the  principal 
Emphasis    ^^®'  ^^^^  remembering  that  the  emphatic  word  of 
your  sentence  is  thd  emphatic  word  of  the  impor- 
tant phrase.     The  emphatic  word  is  usually  brought  out  by 
inflection  and  added  force ;  but  it  may  be  made  emphatic  by 
particular  stress,  or  a  pause  before  it  or  after  it,  or  both  be- 
fore and  after,  or  by  a  change  of  quality.    Your  own  common 
sense  will  tell  you  when  these  may  be  proper  and  effective 
and  natural. 

You  must  also  make  your  audience  hear  you ;  and  this  re- 
quires, not  a  loud,  high-pitched  voice,  but  —  unless  dramatic 
•  expression    requires   otherwise  —  your  middle  or 

and  power,  conversational  pitch,  with  falness  of  voice,  that 
shall  give  you  power.     Your  own  mind  will  regu- 
late this  for  you,  if  you  will  direct  your  attention  to  the 
persons  in  the  back  part  of  the  hall,  and  speak  in  middle 
pitch,  so  that  they  may  hear.     Many  speakers  make  the 
mistake  of  using  a  high  pitch,  and  render  their 
^vitciy^  speech   very  ineffective   by  so   doing.     You  will 
call  to  mind  the  fact,  that,  when  we  say  we  can- 
not hear  a  speaker,  it  is  not  that  we  do  not  hear  the  sound 
of  his   voice,   but   that  we   cannot  understand  the  words. 
Bearing  this  in  mind,  you  will  see  that  perfect  articulation 
is  what  is  wanted,  and  that  fulness  added  to  your  voice  in 
middle  pitch  will  make  the  voice  reach,  will  require  less 
effort,  and  will  produce  better  effect. 

Having  made  your  audience   understand  and  hear,  you 

„  ,.         must  then  make  them  feel.     To  do  this  as  public 

«e  mg.    ^^^^^^^  actor,  clergyman,  lawyer,  teacher,  orator, 


ELOCUTION. 

lecturer,  you  must  yourself  feel  what  you  have  to  s; 
forgetting  every  thing  else  in  your  subject,  concentre 
whole  being  in  your  utterance  and  action.     Then 


i?9 


be  effective,  and  you  will  cany  your  audience  with  you. 
And  you  will  fail  in  proportion  as  you  fail  to  lose  your  own 
personality  in  your  subject.  "  The  heart  giveth  grace  unto 
every  art ; "  and  of  no  art  is  this  more  true  than  of  elocution. 
You  may  have  all  the  graces  of  elocution  which  practice  will 
give  you  ;  yet,  in  the  effect  these  will  produce,  —  if  the  will, 
acting  alone,  not  being  guided  by  mind  and  heart,  prompts 
the  utterance,  —  something  will  be  lacking,  of  which  learned 
and  unlearned  alike  wilJ  be  conscious. 

''One  touch  of  nature  makes  the  whole  world  kin,"  and 
cultivated  and  uncultivated  alike  will  feel  it;  and  this 
* '  touch  of  nature  ' '  you  will  show  if  you  enter  ^  . 

into  what  you  have  to  say  with  mind,  heart,  and 
soul.     Your  voice  will  vary  in  all  the  elements  of  emotional 
expression,  and  you  will  be  natural. 

When  speaking  in  public,  do  not  try  to  remember  the  first 
rule  of  elocution.     Leave  it  all  behind  you  when  you  come 
before  the  audience.     Speak  from  your  thought  and  feeling, 
and  be  sure  you  are  thoroughly  familiar  with  what  you  have 
to  say.    Be  sure  you  understand  it  yourself  before 
you  try  to   make   others   understand.     Y^ou  can    fj^eaicing'. 
read  words,    calling  them   off    mechanically,  or 
you   can    speak    words    from    memory    very    mechanically, 
and  not  have  a  clear  idea  of  the  meaning  the  „^    , 
words  convey  while  you  speak  them.     But  do  not  ailu  meaning. 
do  this.     Always  think  the  thought,  as  you  read 
or  speak,  in  the  same  manner  as  you  w^ould  if  speaking  ex- 
tempore.    You  can  express  your  thought  clearly  by  thinking 
it  as  you  speak;  but  at  the  same  time  there  may     Thought 
he  no   expression   of  emotion.     You  may  have     without 
thought  without  feeling;  but  you  must  impress     J^^^^'^'^'V- 
your  thought  by  feeling.     When  you  read,  your  mind  gets 
the   thought  through   the   words,    and  from  that    thought 
comes  feeling;  but,  when  you  speak  your  own  thoughts,  the 
feeling  creates  the  thought.     In  reading,  you  think,  and  then 
feel;  but,  in  speaking  your  thought,  you  feel,  and  then  think. 
When  you  read,  then,  or  speak  from  memory,  if  you  will  let 
thought  create  feeling  before  you  speak,  you  will  avoid  me- 
chanical reading  and  speaking,  and  be  effective  in  conveying 
the  thought  and  feeling  both  together. 


gG    <^  ELOCUTWN. 

You  can  convey  emotion  without  a  definite  thought ;  and 
this  is  as  bad  as  either  words  without  meaning,  or  thought 
„  without  feeling.    This  arousing  the  feelings  with- 

ouuhoughi.  ^^^  guiding  them  by  definite  thought  is  the  prov- 
ince of  the  art  of  music.  Elocution  is  superior 
to  music  for  the  reason  that  it  guides  both  thought  and  feel- 
ing ,  for  certainly  it  is  better  that  mind  and  feeling  should 
work  together,  than  either  alone. 

The  elements  of  emotional  expression  are  alike  in  speech 

and  song.     In  each  you  have  quality,  time,  force,  and  pitch. 

Emotion    The  variation  of  these  elements  makes  expression 

in  song  or   of  feeling ;  and  each  sound  you  make  contains  all 

speech,     h^q^q.  elements.     It  has  a  certain  quality;  it  has 

more  or  less  of  force ;  it  is  relatively  high  or  low  in  pitch ,  it 

takes  a  longer  or  shorter  time.     The  more  you 

eo^ressimi.  vary  in  the  elements  of  emotional  expression,  the 

better  the  effect,  provided  the  variation  is  caused 

by  the  variation  ^f  your  feeling,  and  not  by  any  artificiality, 

or.  seeming  to  express  what  you  do  not  feel. 

The  quality  of  voice,  its  purity  or  harshness,  its  aspira- 
Qualitv.     ^^^^'  ^^•'  ^^^^  ^^^J  Yf'ith  the  kind  of  feeling;  the 
„       '     degree  of  force  will  vary  according  to  the  inten- 
sity of  feeling;   the  pitch  will  be  according  to 
*/  *      what  we  may  call  the  height  or  depth  of  your 
Time.      iQQYmg  J  the  movement,  or  time,  will  be^  according 
as  the  emotion  is  quick  or  slow.     After  having  cultivated  the 
voice  well  in  these  elements  of  emotional  expression,  your 
own  coriimon  sense  ought  to  be  your  best  guide  in  the  appli- 
cation of  them  to  reading  and  speaking.     You,  for  the  time 
being,  should  be  the  author  of  what  you  read.     ^'  Put  your- 
seK  in  his  place,"  and  express  as  you  feel  that  he  felt  while 
writing  it. 

It  is  possible  for  you  to  feel  intense  emotion,  and  not  be 

capable  of  properly  expressing  it,  so  as  to  make  others  feel 

Feeling     i^*     You  may  not  have  had  training  that  will  give 

ivithout    you  command  of  sound  and  motion,  those  chan- 

expresswn.  ^^^^   ^£   expression   through   which  the   body  is 

made  to  obey  mind  and  soul,  and  express  their  thought  and 

Noexpres-  feeling.     It  is  impossible  to  express,  even  with 

siomvithout  the  best  cultivation,  what,  at  the  moment  of  utter- 

feehng.     ^j^qq^  you  do  not  feel:    therefore  you  must  sink 

your  own  personality  in  your  subject;  and,  according  to  youi 

corception,  so  will  you  express. 


ELOCUTION,  89 

All  apparent  effort  must  be  avoided;  that  is,  in  the  ex- 
pression of  the  strongest  passion  or  emotion,  you  must  not 
give  the  audience  the  slightest  indication  of  want 
of  power.     You  will  give  that  impression  if  you     pcnZr^ 
try  to  express  more  than  you  actually  feel.     In 
emotional  expression  it  must  seem  as  if  it  overflowed  because 
of  excess,  and  you  could  hardly  control  it;  but  you  must 
never  lose  control  of  it.     This  control  will  give  the  audience 
the  impression  that  you  feel  more  than  you  express,  and  is 
what  is  called  reserved  power.     If  —  your  well  of  emotion 
not  being  overflowingly  full — you  use  a  force-pump,  or,  in 
other  words,  your  will-power,  to  make  it  overflow,  you  will 
fail  in  expression. 

How  are  you  to  get  this,  you  ask.     By  study  and  long 
practice.     As  you  plainly  see,  it  involves  a  perfect  command 
over  the  feelings ;  and  ' '  he  that  ruleth  his  own  jy^^^,  ^^  (fet 
spirit  is   greater  than   he   that  taketh  a  city."      reserve 
Conquer  yourself.     All  art,  elocution  included,  is      P^^^(^^'- 
but  a  means  of  expression  for  man's  thoughts  and  feelings; 
and,  if  you  have  no  thought  or  feeling  to  express,  art  is  use- 
less to  you. 

Do  not  let  your  audience  be  reminded  that  you  breathe  at 
all.  Take  breath  quietly  through  nostrils  or  mouth,  or  both. 
Form  the  habit  of  keeping  the  chest,  while  speak-  „  ^, . 
mg,  active,  as  recommended  m  all  vocal  exercises ; 
and  the  breath  will  flow  in  unobstructed  whenever  needed. 
Breathe  as  nearly  as  possible  as  you  would  if  you  were  not 
speaking,  that  is,  do  not  interfere  with  right  action  of  the 
lungs.  The  instant  you  feel  a  want  of  breath,  take  it:  if 
you  do  not,  you  will  injure  your  lungs;  and  what  you  say, 
feeling  that  want  of  breath,  will  lack  power.  The  more 
breath  you  have,  so  that  it  does  not  feel  uncomfortable  and 
can  be  well  controlled,  the  more  power  you  will  have:  there- 
fore practise  breathing  until  you  breathe  rightly  and  easily. 

If  your  general  health  is  good,  your  throat  will  be  well; 
and  therefore    pay  attention  to   the   general  health  of  the 
whole  body,  and  the  throat  w^ill  take  care  of  itself. 
If,    when   you   come   before    an    audience,   your     trouMe. 
throat   and  mouth  are  dry,  use  only  clear,  cold 
water,  not   ice-water :   that   is   too   cold.     Avoid   candy  or 
throat-lozenges ;  for  the  use  of  either  of  these  is  worse  than 
if  you  used  nothing  at  all.    If  you  have  a  cold  or  sore  throat, 
you  had  better  not  use  yom-  voice;  but,  if  you  must  use  it, 


90  ELOCUTION. 

keep  it  clear  by  clear  water.  A  healthy  throat  will  not  need 
even  water;  it  will  moisten  itself  after  a  little  use,  if  at  first 
it  is  dry. 

Deliberate  movement  and  frequent  pausinp^  are  very  ex- 
pressive in  some  cases.     AVhere  it  is  applicable  may  be  de- 

Pausing.  ^^"^^^^"^^^  by  what  you  have  to  express.  Pausing 
in  its  appropriate  place  makes  emphasis  strong. 
Let  the  pause  be  res^ulated,  however,  by  the  feeling,  and  not 
all  by  the  punctuation.  Express  according  to  your  concep- 
Punctuation  *^*^^^  ^^  *^^  thought.  Punctuation  may  be  a 
*  guide  to  you  in  obtaining  the  right  idea ;  but  it  is 
no  guide  to  correct  expression.  Pausing,"  generally,  comes 
naturally  either  before  or  after,  or  both  before  and  after,  the 
emphatic  word  or  phrase. 

Speak  or  read  poetry  with  the  same  care  and  attention  to 
phrasing  that  you  would  give  to  prose,  and  you  will  avoid  all 

Poetry  ^I'^wling,  monotony,  or  sing-song.  Jn  order  that 
the  rhyme  in  poetry  may  be  preserved,  the  pro- 
nunciation of  a  word  may  be  changed  from  common  usage,  if, 
by  so  doing,  you  do  not  obscure  the  meaning ;  but  never  sac- 
rifice the  meaning  for  the  sake  of  the  rhyme.  In  good 
poetry,  which  includes  blank  verse,  the  metrical  movement 
will  show  itself  without  any  attempt  on  your  part  to  make  it 
prominent. 

You  may  feel,  when  you  first  come  before  an  audience,  a 
shrinking,  or  faintness  of  feeling,  such  as  is  known  to  actors 
„.       ^-  1,  as  "  stasre  friffht."    It  probably  arises  from  a  veiT 

Stage  fright.  ...    ^  ^  ^.      ,.      ^         j      4.1        xu-      "^ 

sensitive,  nervous  organization;  and,  other  things 
being  equal,  persons  of  this  character  make  the  best  speakers. 
As  to  the  real  cause  of  this  feeling,  as  Lord  Dundreary  says, 
"It's  one  of  those  things  no  fellah  can  find  out."  But, 
whatever  its  cause,  you  can  overcome  it  by  strong  will-power 
and  self-possession ;  and,  after  a  time,  you  will  become  used  to 
appearance  in  public,  and  that  will  establish  the  "  confidence 
of  habit. "  Some  of  the  best  orators  and  actors  that  ever  lived 
have  had  "stage  fright;"  and  some  of  them,  so  far  as  we 
know,  never  had  it.  So  you  must  not  flatter  yourself  that 
this  is  a  certain  indication  of  your  power.  It  takes  much 
more  than  a  tendency  to  ' '  stage  fright ' '  to  make  a  powerful 
speaker. 

AVhether  you  are  reading  from  a  book  or  paper,  reciting 
from  memory,  or  speaking  extempore  your  own  thought,  you 
should  do  all  as  you  would  the  latter,  so  that  a  blind  man, 


ELOCUTION,  91 

who  could  not  judge  which  you  were  doing  except  by  the 
sound  of  your  voice,  would  be  unable  to  tell.     In    Reading. 
committing  to  memory  for  recitation,  you  will   speaidiui. 
lemember  more  easily  if  you  will  pick  out  the  em-  ^^^<^*^'*'*'^»^- 
l)]iatic  w^ords  of  the  sentences  in  their  order,  and  commit 
tiiem,  as  they  contain  an  outlme  of  the  succession  of  thought 
and  meaning. 

The  look  upon  the  face,  the  gestures  of  the  arm,  the  atti- 
tude of  the  body,  all  speak  the  language  of  emotion  as 
plainly  to  the  eye  as  elocution  proper  does  to  the  ^  .. 
ear.  This  action  will  be  prompted  by  the  feelings, 
as  the  voice  is ;  and  it  will  be  expressive  or  not,  it  will  be 
appropriate  or  not,  it  wdll  be  graceful  or  not,  according  as 
you  have  natural  or  acquired  ability.  Natural  ability  wdll 
be  much  aided  by  a  knowledge  and  practice  of  gesture  as  a 
language ,  and  much  may  be  acquired  by  any  one  with  prac- 
tice. 

I  have  said  nothing  of  action  in  the  previous  pages,  as 
this  book  treats  of  expression  through  the  voice,  or  elocu- 
tion.    A  few  words  here  upon  the  subject  will  not  be  out  of 
place.     When  you  read,  you  should  ordinarily  make  your 
voice  express  much,  and  use  gesture  sparingly,  but,  if  you 
feel  prompted  to  make  gestures,  never  do  so  while  the  eye 
rests  on  the  book.     Look  either  at  the  audience,       j    , 
or  as  may  be  indicated  by  the  gesture.     When     ^  J" 
you  recite,  or  speak  extempore,  you  can  add  much       ^^  ^**'^- 
to  the  expression  by  look,  gesture,  and  attitude.    ^^^*^^*"^'- 
In  natural  expression  the  face  will  first  light  up,  and  show 
feeling;   and  the  attitude  and  gesture  follow  more  or  less 
quickly,  according  to  the  feeling;  and  then  comes  speech. 
And  all  these  must  express  alike.     For  the  face  to  be  expres- 
sionless, or  to  express  one  thing  while  the  speech  and  gesture 
say  another  thing,  is  in  effect  ludicrous. 

llemember  that  all  motions  and  attitudes  have  meaning; 
and,  when  no  other  gesture  or  attitude  is  called  for  to  express 
some  feeling,  stand  perfectly  still  in  the  speaker's      Motion 
position  before  mentioned,  that  being  an  active,     without 
and  at  the  same  time  a  neutral  position.     Don't    ^e«^*^*fi'- 
move,  unless  you  mean  something  by  it.     Don't  sway  the 
body,  or  nod  the  head,  or  shrug  the  shoulders,  or  move  the 
feet,  or  make  motions  or  gestures,  unless  the  proper  expres- 
sion call  for  it,  and  your  emotion  prompts. 

The  eye  is  particularly  effective  in  expression,  as  there  the 


92  ELOCUTION. 

emotion  first  shows  itself ;  and  by  it  you  can  get  and  keep 

The  eve  ^^®  attention  of  your  audience.  In  reading,  keep 
your  eye  off  the  book  as  much  as  possible,  and  on 
your  audience.  In  recitation  or  extempore  speaking,  look 
at  your  audience.  The  eye  leads  in  gesture,  and,  in  many 
cases,  looks  in  the  direction  of  the  gesture.  In  personation* 
of  character,  as  in  dramatic  scenes,  your  eye  must  look  at 
those  to  whom  you  are  supposed  to  be  speaking,  as,  in  com-' 
mon  conversation,  you  usually  look  at  the  person  to  whom 
you  speak.  Never  look  in  an  undecided  way,  as  if  you  did 
not  have  a  purpose  in  looking,  but  look  in  the  face  and  eyel 
of  your  audience  when  emotional  expression  does  not  require 
you  to  look  elsewhere. 

When  you  don't  wish  to  use  your  arm  for  gesture,  let  it 
hang  naturally  at  the  side.     When  the  emotion  calls  for 

Gesture  ^^^^^'^^i  make  it  with  decision,  and  let  the  gesture 
continue  as  long  as  you  utter  words  explaining 
the  meaning  of  the  gesture.  Gesture  always  comes  before 
words,  more  or  less  quickly,  as  may  be  the  kind  of  emotion. 
Usually,  if  the  words  are  quickly  spoken,  the  gesture  will  be 
quickly  made,  and  the  words  will  be  spoken  almost  at  in- 
stant of  the  gesture.  If  the  words  move  slow,  the  gesture 
will  move  slow,  and  there  may  be  a  perceptible  pause  be- 
tween  the  gesture  and  words.     No  stated  rules  for 

gesiure}^^  gesture  can  be  given ;  for  they  are  as  infinite  in 
number  and  variety  as  the  emotions  they  express. 
You  will  find,  however,  that  gesture  may  be  regulated,  as 
emotional  expression  of  voice  is,  by  means  of  your  intensity 
of  thought  and  feeling,  guided  by  common  sense,  and  aided 
by  genius.  Gestm^e  is  a  science  and  art,  which,  as  in  speech 
and  song,  has  elements  of  emotional  expression;  and  these 
elements  correspond  in  each.  You  have  in  gesture  (as  said 
of  the  others)  quality  or  kind  of  gesture,  force  or  intensity 
in  gesture,  time  or  the  degree  of  movement  in  gesture,  and 
pitch,  or  relative  height  and  depth;  and  all  these  have  a 
meaning  something  like  the  corresponding  elements  of  song, 
or  speech,  or  other  arts.  Long  and  hard  study  and  practice 
will  be  necessary  to  perfection  in  this,  as  in  all  arts.  A 
graceful  habit  of  gesture,  an  appropriate  expression  of  eye 
and  face,  united  to  a  voice  full-toned,  musical,  and  varying 
in  all  shades  of  emotional  expression,  —  what  is  there  more 
captivating  to  eye  and  ear,  more  pleasing  to  the  senses, 
more  instructive  to  the  mind,  more  moving  to  the  emotions. 


if  only  it  is,  as  Mendelssolin  .says  <)|,r?li '.aiiii  ^^pije.sBXve  of 
lofty  thought?  "  Every  art  hlk  elsvate  H^elf-abbv^  a  'mere 
handicraft  only  by  being  devoted  to  the  expression  of  lofty 
thought." 

DEFECTS   OF    SPEECH. 

Defects  of  speech  cannot  be  spoken  of  at  great  length  in 
this  book.  A  thorough  study  of  articulation  in  Parts  One 
and  Two  will  cure  any  of  them  where  there  is  no  defect  in 
the  mouth.  The  letter  s  is  more  often  defective  than  any 
other  letter,  it  being  pronounced  like  th  in  tliin^  or  whistled. 
In  the  first  the  tongue  is  too  far  forward :  in  the  last  it  is 
drawn  too  far  back.  Cure  by  imitating  somebody  who 
makes  it  correctly.  R  is  often  defective  by  substituting  w 
for  it;  as,  wun  for  run.  Sometimes  it  is  defective  by  being 
made  with  the  whole  tongue,  something  as  y  is  made;  as, 
yun  for  run:  and  cure  may  be  had  by  imitating  the  correct 
sound.  Other  defects  of  letters  or  elementary  sounds  are 
less  common,  and  need  not  be  mentioned  here. 

Too  precise  speech  is  a  defect,  and  results  from  trying  to 
give  too  much  force  to  the  consonant  sounds,  and  not  a  due 
proportion  to  the  vowel  sounds.  It  sounds  like 
affectation  on  the  part  of  the  speaker,  and  may  speech^^^ 
be  corrected  by  giving  more  force  to  the  vowels, 
and  particular  attention  to  phrasing.  (See  *'  Articulation," 
Part  Three.) 

Slovenly  speech  is  a  defect,  and  is  opposite  in  kind  and 
effect  from  the  above.     The  consonants  are  not 
pronounced;  and,  to  remedy  it,  practise  to  give      smecK 
consonants  more  force  and  precision,  and  pay  at- 
tention to  phrasing  and  emphasis. 

Speaking  too  rapidly  is  a  defect,  and  results  from  too  rapid 
thought.     Put  a  restraint  upon  thought,  —  that 
is,  control  it,  —  and  make  the  tongue  move  slower     IplS 
in  consequence,  being  careful  to  phrase  and  em- 
phasize well. 

Speaking  too  slowly  is  also  a  defect,  opposite  in  kind  from 
rapid  speech,  and  is  caused  by  the  mind  moving 
too  slowly  in  thinking.     The  remedy  is  to  think     spefd^ 
faster,  and  urge  the  tongue  to  move  quicker. 

Wlien  you  have  too  slow  thought  and  too  rapid  speech,  you 
have  stuttering;  for  the  tongue  keeps  moving  all  the  time 
while  the  thought  is  coming,  and  it  repeats  syllables  or 


94  ELOCIIJIDN. 

^ords. .  Maka  tiie  fnind.  of  ^  the  stutterer  move  faster,  and 
Stutterhig.  ^^  totigiie  i.itlk,  rsJOwves", . '  In  each  of  these  last 
three  defects,  let  the  person  who  wants  to  cure  it 
^'  know  what  you  wish  to  say  before  you  attempt  to  say  it." 

Stammering  is  caused  by  too  much  effort  on  the  part  of 
the  person  to  make  articulate  sounds,  and  is  usually  the  ro- 
Stammering  ^^^*  ^^  imitating  some  one  who  stammerea,  ur 
*  ■  formed  gradually  by  habit  of  incorrect  breathing, 
and  from  physical  weakness.  Stammerers  make  the  attempt 
to  speak,  and  the  lips  or  tongue  or  jaw  become  immovable, 
or  the  words  stick  in  their  throat;  and,  because  this  takes 
place,  they  make  great  effort  to  overcome  it.  The  more 
effort  they  make,  the  harder  it  is  for  them;  and  sometimes 
this  leads  to  contortions  and  jerkings  of  body  and  limbs  that 
are  painful.  To  cure  this  takes  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  de- 
pending on  the  state  of  health,  the  length  of  time  the  habit 
has  been  in  forming,  the  amount  of  jerking  of  limbs  to 
which  the  stammerer  is  subject,  and  the  care  taken  by  the 
stammerer  to  practise  much.  A  stammerer  can  be  cured  by 
teaching  articulation  thoroughly.  (See  Parts  One  and  Two 
of  this  book;  also  Monroe's  Fourth  Reader.)  Show^  every 
element  separately,  and  the  position  the  mouth  takes  to 
make  it;  then  combine  into  syllables,  then  into  words,  then 
into  phrases.  Show  the  stammerer,  that,  the  less  the  effort 
made',  the  easier  will  be  the  speaking.  Impress  upon  the 
stammerer's  mind,  "Make  no  effort  to  speak,"  and  the 
habit  is  to  be  overcome  by  long-continued  practice  and  a 
thorough  and  complete  training  in  articulation.  When  read- 
ing, be  sure  and  read  in  phrases;  that  is,  speak  a  phrase,  as 
a  long  word,  without  pause.  Stammerers,  being  usually 
feeble  in  health,  should  practise  the  physical  and  vocal  gym- 
nastics (Parts  One  and  Two) ,  and  particularly  the  breathing 
exercises.  When  you  have  given  the  stammerer  confidence, 
and  he  or  she  finds  that  talking  is  as  easy  as  walking  or 
singing,  the  cure  is  certain.  There  may  be  times  of  excita- 
bility or  nervousness  when  stammering  will  return ;  but  these 
times  will  be  less  and  less  frequent  as  health  gets  better  and 
confidence  grows,  and  finally  will  not  return.  Remember, 
stammerer,  "make  no  effort."  Be  lazy,  and  even,  at  first, 
slovenly  in  speech,  and  cure  is  certain. 


STANDARD  ELOCUTIONARY  BOOKS. 


PIVE-MINUTE    DECLAMATIONS.      Selected  and    adapted    bj 
Walter   K.  Fobes,  teacher  of  elocution  and  public  reader;  authoi 
of  •'  Elocution  Simplified."    Cloth.    50  cents. 
FIVE-MINUTE  BECITATIONS.    By  Walter  K.  Fobes.    Cloth. 
50  cents. 
Pupils  in  public  schools  on  declamation  days  are  limited  to  five  minutes 
each  for  the  delivery  of  "  pieces."    There  is  a  great  complaint  of  the  scarcity 
of  material  for  such  a  purpose,  while  the  injudicious  pruning  of  eloquent 
extracts  has  often  marred  the  desired  effects.    To  obviate  these  difficulties, 
new  "  Five-Minute  "  books  have  been  prepared  by  a  competent  teacher. 
ELOCUTION   SIMPLIFIED.    With  an  appendix  on  Lisping,  Stam- 
mering, and   other  Impediments  of  Speech.    By  Walter   K.  Fobes, 
graduate  of  the  '*  Boston  School  of  Oratory."    16mo.    Cloth.    50  cents. 
Paper,  30  cents. 
"  The  whole  art  of  elocution  is  succinctly  set  forth  in  this  small  volume, 
which  might  be  judiciously  included  among  the  text-books  of  schools."  — 
New  Orleans  Picayune. 

ADVANCED  READINGS  AND  RECITATIONS.    By  Austin 
B.  Fletcher,  A.M.,  LL.B.,  Professor  of  Oratory,  Brown  University, 
and  Boston  University  School  of   Law.    This  book  has  been  already 
adopted  in  a  large    number   of    Universities,   Colleges,  Post-graduate 
Schools  of  Law  and  Theology,  Seminaries,  etc.    12mo.    Cloth.    $1.50. 
"Professor  Fletcher's  noteworthy  compilation  has  been  made  with   rare 
rhetorical  judgment,  and  evinces  a  sympathy  for  the  best  forms  of  litera- 
ture, adapted  to  attract  readers  and  speakers,  and  mould  their  literary  taste." 
—  Prof.  J.  W.  Churchill,  ^wc/orer  Theological  Seminary. 
THE    COLUMBIAN    SPEAKER.     Consisting  of    choice  and  ani- 
mated  pieces  for  declamation  and  reading.    By  LooMis  J.  Campbell, 
and  Orin  Root,  Jun.    16mo.    Cloth.    75  cents. 
Mr.  Campbell,  as  one  of  the  editors  of  "  Worcester's  Dictionaries,"  the 
popular  "Franklin  Readers,"  and    author  of    the  successful   little  work, 
"Pronouncing  Hand-Book  of  3,000  Words,"  is  well  known  as  a  thorough 
scholar.    Mr.  Root  is  an  accomplished  speaker  and  instructor  in  the  West; 
and  both,  through  experience  knowing  the  need  of  such  a  work,  are  well 
qualified  to  prepare  it.    It  is  a  genuine  success. 

VOCAL    AND    ACTION-LANGUAGE,    CULTURE    AND 
EXPRESSION.    By  E.  N.  Kirby,  teacher  of  elocution  in  the  Lynn 
High  Schools.    12mo.    English  cloth  binding.    Price,  $1.25. 
"  Teachers  and  students  of  the  art  of  public  speaking,  in  any  of  its  forms, 

will  be  benefited  by  a  liberal  use  of  this  practical  hand-book." — P7of. 

Churchill. 

KEENE'S  SELECTIONS.    Selection  for  reading  and  elocution.    A 
hand-book  for  teachers  and  students.    By  J.  W.  Keene,  A.M.,  M.D. 
Cloth.    $1. 
"  An  admirable  selection  of  practical  pieces." 

LITTLE  PIECES  FOR  LITTLE  SPEAKERS.  The  primary 
school  teacher's  assistant.  By  a  practical  teacher^  16mo.  Illustrated. 
75  cents.    Also  in  boards,  60  cents.    Has  had  an  immense  sale. 

THE    MODEL    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    SPEAKER.     Containing 
selections,  in  prose  and  verse,  from  the  most  popular  pieces  and  dialogueg 
for  Sunday-school  exhibitions.    lUust.  Cloth.   75  cents.  Boards,  60  ceut»t 
••A  book  very  much  needed." 

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